Captain Hiccup Of Asgard
by TheDarkPoenix
Summary: This story happens when hiccup is sent to show the big burglars that dragons are good and positive however the gods have better ideas. (this is not my story however I continued it with is promition)
1. A vision

Chapter 1: A Vision

**Information:** **I do not own Httyd.****The first 26 chapters is writtten by NatBlake and can also be viewed on his account so go drop him a follow! Nat has given me promition to continue the story as he is busy and dosnt have the time to compleat it. Hopefully i can do nat proud and finish this amazing story.**

"Get across the barricade!"

"Nets! Nets!"

"Watch out for the arrows!"

Astrid ducked involuntarily as the volley of arrows from the parapets whistled over her head, causing Stormfly to squawk in warning and roll into a dive, dropping fifty feet in the air and below the action above her, plummeting towards the waves of the menacing ocean below. Astrid's hair billowed out from the back of her helmet as she let out another war cry, guiding Stormfly above a bola that flew towards her. Stormfly cartwheeled and soared upward trying to reach their fellow dragon riders above them. Looking higher, Astrid saw Hiccup.

He was sitting tall astride Toothless, the Night Fury riding the wind and staying steady in the air, out of the range of bolas and arrows but close enough to see the fighting. The dragon's green eyes seemed to match the movement of his rider's head, as both constantly swiveled to survey the battle's progress as the dragons laid siege to the castle. Hiccup looked every inch a fighter, with his red and black armor, helmet, and menacing sword strapped to his belt.

Angling Stormfly upwards, she plunged through a thin cloud and, narrowly missing a net, encountered another volley of arrows. With no time to dodge, she grabbed her shield and raised it in front of the bolts, hoping Stormfly would come through unscathed. Arrows thudded into the wood, one clipping the edge of the metal rim and spinning away in front of her. The others missed high, and Stormfly was uninjured. Gasping in relief, Astrid made her faithful dragon put on another burst of speed and then they were out of range.

Having reached Hiccup's height in the sky, she urged Stormfly ahead and leveled her with Toothless. The Night Fury, who was much larger than Stormfly, acknowledged their presence with a warble, and Hiccup turned in his saddle, flipping up the mask of his helmet and baring the face underneath.

Hiccup was no longer a boy. His deep, innocent green eyes that used to sparkle with ingenuous excitement had now been dampened with the horrors of war, the blood of hundreds of dead men haunting their memory. His long wavy brown hair showed out the back of his helm, and when the mask was raised it could be seen on his forehead as well. His chin displayed a stubble which showed that he had not shaved for a few days. The shade of his helmet brought out the jagged white scar that was visible above his left eye. His face was gaunt and unemotional at first, but when he saw Astrid, his dull green eyes lit up with pleasure.

"Good to see you alive, Milady," he quipped, relaxing in the saddle. "I see you've been redecorating my shield in your spare time."

Astrid snorted, glancing down at the round shield and the completely Hiccuplike pattern it boasted, which was now clotted with burns and arrows.

"I think it improves the design," she laughed back at him. "You have no tastes when it comes to colors."

"You said you liked me in red and black, Astrid," Hiccup moaned with mock sadness. "You have betrayed me."

"I did say that, I admit," Astrid laughed back. "But seriously, Hiccup, a black shield with a red dragon painted on it? You just had to go and paint another dragon picture?"

"The black is for stealth, and the red just makes me look sexy," he answered with a laugh, his lips twisting upward.

"The red ruins the stealth part!" Astrid replied, ignoring his comment.

"Oh no, Milady, you don't understand," Hiccup replied. "This is a highly concentrated red dye. It is nearly impossible to distinguish from the black in the dead of night. In fact—"

"Captain!"

Hiccup whirled away from Astrid and looked towards the voice. It was Fishlegs, swooping in on Meatlug by Hiccup's right side, opposite Astrid.

"How's it looking, Legs?" Hiccup asked.

"We've got a solid hold on the eastern wall. The defenses will crumble in a few minutes, and we'll be able to storm the keep from there. But the west side is holding too strong. The dragons don't like going near the Abyss, and our attacks there are too weak to cause any damage. In short, the attack on the west wall needs some help."

Hiccup snapped his mask down. "You up for this, bud?" he asked his dragon. Toothless roared in excitement, shaking the air around the three riders.

"Then we're off!" Hiccup shouted. "We'll handle the west side, Legs. Go supervise the storming of the keep as soon as that east wall falls!"

"Right! Catch you later, Captain!" Fishlegs cried, and Meatlug dove back down into the action, moving towards the eastern wall.

"I'll head with you, Hiccup," Astrid stated. "Do you want your shield back?"

"No thanks, Milady," Hiccup shouted back. "I'm way too skillful to need thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttt..."

Toothless interrupted Hiccup by banking into a steep dive, his black scales glistening in the evening sky. With a terrifying roar, he ripped through the thin clouds and into the battle below.

Astrid wasted no time. "After them, girl!" she shouted, and Stormfly mimicked Toothless' motion, swooping down into the white screen of the clouds and then emerging beneath where the action was.

Toothless was racing through the dragon army and the missiles being shot at them, avoiding the nets and arrows with practiced ease. Another roar from the Night Fury echoed off the stone walls of the fortress. Looking at the castle, she could see the men on the walls yelling and shouting, trying to fend off Hiccup's dragons as they hovered above the ramparts, blasting the troops mercilessly with fire. A lone arrow whizzed towards her, and with a flick of Hiccup's shield, she deflected it, bringing her attention back to her part of the battle.

Flying away from the main fighting, Toothless thundered towards the west wall, his wings beating the air and sending gusts of air back in Astrid's direction. For a second the cold air from Hiccup was all she could feel as they flew through another cloud and emerged on the opposite side.

Then, with a cry of astonishment, Astrid saw the Abyss that Fishlegs had mentioned. It was a terrifying sight. The gap in the ground was easily a hundred feet wide, and stood just beyond the west wall. It was merely a big black hole, but even looking at it made her feel frightened, made her want to run away and never return again. It seemed to live and breath death and destruction. Apparently Stormfly thought the same thing as Astrid. She whined in fear and faltered in her flight. But Astrid was firm.

"No, girl. Hiccup needs our help, and we aren't leaving him."

Stormfly croaked in agreement, and increased her speed to try and match Toothless. Then there came the terrifying shriek that every man had learned to fear; the Night Fury roar. Even Astrid winced and covered her ears at the sound. Then blue flame erupted from Toothless, and an explosion rocked the defenses on the wall.

Looking below, Astrid could see bodies of several dragons floating in the sea. They appeared horribly cut and mangled.What had happened?she wondered.How could the dragons be in that condition?Stormfly interrupted her thoughts by firing a blast of lava-hot fire at their enemies. Peering over the flames, Astrid saw that it hit the defenses just above the wall, where the enemy soldiers were wheeling some strange looking weaponry to the edge of the ramparts.

Toothless fired twice more, causing the stone defenses to tremble and quake. It looked as if it would collapse soon, and Toothless roared again in triumph. In the moment after the bellow she heard a strange click, and looked up. Strange weapons were flying through the air. They appeared to be bolas, but they were not quite identical. Instead of ropes and rocks they were massive blades that spun through the air in three directions. There was a lot of them, and they were flying right into a thick swathe.

"Hiccup!" She shrieked, trying to warn him. He had already seen, however, and was desperately trying to avoid the attack. Astrid flew right behind him, following his lead. Toothless dodged one, then two, and a third, but there was so many of them, and escape seemed impossible.

Stormfly curled away from a projectile, spinning Astrid's view of Hiccup for a second. Righting herself, Stormfly dodged another, and Astrid, looking up, saw one of the missiles about to strike Toothless.

"WATCH OUT!" she screamed, but it was too late.

Blood sprayed from the Night Fury, the blades cutting through the dragon like a hot knife through butter. The black fluid flew back at Astrid and Stormfly. Astrid raised her shield to block it, and the hot liquid splashed against the wood, coating the design with drops of Toothless' blood. Lowering the shield, she saw something that made her freeze in horror.

It was a wing. A dragon wing. Toothless' wing. It missed her by a hair's breadth, spraying her with more blood as it sailed past, completely detached from the body. Then a black leg hurled by on her left. Looking down, she saw what was left of Toothless dropping into the ocean, horribly, horribly mangled.

And Hiccup was not on his back.

Lunging ahead, Astrid realized that the flying blades had stopped coming. Miraculously she had survived the onslaught. But where was Hiccup?

Scanning the area below her, she saw him. He was perhaps two hundred feet beneath, plummeting towards the ocean in an uncontrollable fall. He looked to be still alive, but she could not tell.

"Stormfly, fetch!" She yelled to her dragon. Stormfly saw what she was pointing to, and, diving down, raced towards the falling rider. Even as she dove, however, Hiccup's suit opened up as if by magic, and wings appeared. Hiccup began to spin over the waves, stopping his fall and guiding himself towards the castle. He had a flight suit.

He was not flying it well, Astrid realized. He was spinning crazily and heading directly towards the enemy's fortress. She would have to hurry and catch him before he was shot down.

Then the ground below them transformed from water to land. They flew directly over the west wall amid a volley of arrows. None struck home, but Astrid realized that they were in more danger than ever; and not because of the soldiers. Astrid tore her eyes off Hiccup and looked up.

They were rapidly approaching the Abyss. Its black depths seemed to be encouraging them towards it, inviting them, and while Hiccup's flight suit was keeping him from crashing, it was angling his landing point right into the pit.

"Faster, Stormfly!" Astrid yelled. "We need to get him before he falls!"

Stormfly put on a final burst of speed. They were very close now. With a anguished cry Astrid could now see why Hiccup had not been flying well. His right arm was missing. Therefore only one wing of the flight suit was working, and this completely threw off the balance of the equipment. She must catch him before he bled out.

The trio was now very close to the ground, and also approaching the edge of the Abyss.

"Get him, girl!" Astrid cried out in desperation. With one final swoop, Stormfly's talons grabbed Hiccup and closed around him - just before they all struck the dirt. Astrid was hurled from the saddle, her axe clattering away on the rock. She landed softly, but Stormfly was not so lucky. Her dragon crashed heavily, rolling over several times. Astrid heard a sickening crack as Stormfly's wing broke, and then she saw Hiccup get flung from the crash and fall – over the edge of the Abyss.

"HICCUP!" Astrid yelled, leaping to her feet and running towards the edge of the Abyss. She expected to see him falling into the darkness, but instead he was hanging on, with his one free hand, six feet below the edge. He was still alive.

"Hiccup!" Astrid cried. "Hold on! I'll get you!" Flinging herself down, she tried to reach his hand with her own. He was too far down.

Hiccup looked up at her. His helmet had been stripped from him in the collision, and blood was oozing down the side of his head, merging with what was gushing out of the stump of his arm. His green eyes locked with Astrid's.

"Astrid," he said quietly, and with effort.

"Hiccup, hold on!" Astrid pleaded, reaching down towards him. She was a foot away from his hand, and he could not reach with only one arm. She stretched further. So close.

"Astrid." Hiccup said.

With a gasp Astrid looked at Hiccup again. He offered her a weak smile.

"I love you, Astrid," he whispered.

And then he let go.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Astrid screamed, clutching at the air. Hiccup fell into the darkness, down, down…

Astrid woke with a cry, sitting up in bed, her hand flying to the axe. A faint light outside her window reflected off the white sheets of her bedcovers and showed that the moon was still high in the Berk sky. Gasping for air, Astrid tried to shove the images of Hiccup falling from her mind. It had been so real.

"Astrid?" Her little sister queried from her bed beside Astrid's. Looking at her, Astrid saw that her eyes were wide in fear. "Are you OK?" her sister asked.

"I'm fine," Astrid exhaled, laying down again and replacing her axe on the bed stand.

"It was just a dream."


	2. prelude to destiny

Chapter 2: Prelude to Destiny

"Bud, will you just calm down? Yea, take it easy, big guy. I haven't even eaten yet."

Toothless let out a low warble.

"All right bud, I'm coming." Hiccup groaned, rolling out of bed and wiping Night Fury saliva off his face. "But you're right, I guess we should go for one last pleasure flight before the trip, what do you say, bud?"

Toothless pawed the floor enthusiastically as Hiccup got dressed.

"Hold on there, bud." Hiccup pulled on his boot and then paused. He still wasn't quite used to the lack of his leg, but he had adjusted nicely. After a month or two of banging around and falling, he had become accustomed to the metal prosthetic and began to be able to use it as if it were his real limb. Now, a full year later, he could walk perfectly fine. However, there were days like today when he felt like something was missing.

Groaning, Hiccup rose, and walked to the front door as Toothless leapt up through the hole in the roof, excited for a morning of flying. Toothless' enthusiasm cheered Hiccup. He pulled on his flying coat and took up his mask, strapping it to his belt. Going to the larder, he removed several sticks of dried meat to keep him fed while he was in the sky. With a final sigh, he left the house – and ran right into his father.

"Oh! Uhh, hi dad. I'm just, uhh—"

Stoick the Vast clapped Hiccup on the shoulder with much more force than was necessary. Hiccup winced in pain and rubbed the spot.

"Morning, son!" Stoick boomed. "Where are you headed?"

"Actually, I was, uhh, about to go flying with Toothless-"

"Come on, son! You're the son of the chief and you're leaving tomorrow for the Bog Burglars' island. You need to prepare and say your goodbyes, not run off into the sky!"

"Oh yeah, that's right, I'm going somewhere tomorrow. Why exactly do Ineedto go, again?"

Stoick placed his hands on his hips.

"Hiccup, we've discussed this. The Boggies have only recently heard about our peace with the dragons. Chief Big-Boobied Bertha wants to see for herself that the dragons can be peaceful, and you're the one who can best demonstrate the relationship we have with them. And you'll be going alone; I'm not sending any more of the squad to get their pockets picked while they're over there."

"Chief Big Boobied Bertha probably just wants to see me on a dragon so she can be justified in chopping off my head," Hiccup replied with a twisted grin. "I've been able to convince these, uhh, normal chiefs like Mogadon and that guy from Bashem Island, but Bog Burglars? In order to teach these people the benefits of having dragons, I must first understand them, how they, uhh, think and operate." Hiccup gestured towards the sea helplessly. "These are women, dad!Women. No one can understand what goes on in their heads." He threw up his arms in despair. "Talking to them will be impossible!"

"If anyone can achieve the impossible, it's you, son," Stoick replied seriously, placing his hand on the skinny boys shoulder. "You took down the Red Death and saved our entire village. I'm sure you can somehow convince Bertha that the dragons are valuable assets."

Hiccup kicked at a rock in the dirt. "I suppose," he reflected. "The Bog Burglars – they, they steal – stuff, right? If dragons can help them do that-" He snapped his fingers. "I've got it, dad! Yes! With this plan, I'll even convince Bertha's crazy daughter Camicazi that dragons are a good thing. Ha!"

"Good to hear, son!" Stoick boomed. "Now go start saying farewell to the tribe! You can start with your girlfriend!"

"Aww, come on, dad! Toothless has been nagging me to go flying all night, and-"

"No buts, son!" Stoick said firmly. "Go into the village! You'll be flying plenty tomorrow. And that dragon of yours is getting spoiled with the amount of time you spend with him. Quit letting that reptile monopolize all your time and go talk to the villagers!"

Stoick clapped Hiccup on the shoulder again, causing him to yelp in pain. Then he opened the door to the house.

"Dad, would you stop slapping my shoulder like that-"

The door banged.

"Oh, man." Hiccup rubbed his arm, standing still in the warm summer morning. Toothless leapt off the house and landed next to his rider, his eyes looking up inquiringly at Hiccup.

"Nope, bud. Not going flying today. Chief's orders."

He started to walk away from the house into the village. Toothless warbled in protest, nudging Hiccup with his snout.

"No! No, Toothless. Stop it! I said no flying!" He kept walking, but Toothless was persistent. He kept jostling and nudging Hiccup all the way down the hill until he reached the streets of the village. He would nag Hiccup all day if a compromise wasn't reached.

"Ok, bud. No flying, but I'll get you a basket of fish instead. Deal?"

At the word fish, Toothless leapt up like a mad puppy and started hopping around Hiccup, crooning excitedly.

"All right bud, I take that as a yes. But stay out here. I don't want you wrecking the entire marketplace with your antics. Wait until I get back."

Putting his flight mask in the saddlebags, Hiccup turned and entered the village. He was very used to the smell of fresh baked bread, the grinding of whetstones, and the reek of gutted fish, but what he had still not yet become accustomed to was the attention he got.

"Morning, Hiccup!"

"Good to see you, Hiccup!"

"Hey, the hero is here!"

"Are you excited for the trip?"

"Yeah, yeah, good to see you guys," Hiccup answered each call in turn. "Great to see you, Ingmar – how's the baby, Galia? Yeah, I'm totally excited – who wouldn't want to go meet a whole bunch of crazy, fighting, thieving ladies?"

Laughing, Hiccup pushed through the crowds in the village and strolled over to the smithy, where Gobber was busy hammering the blade of a shovel into shape.

"Good morning, Gobber. How's work?" Hiccup asked, pulling out one of the sticks of dried meat and chewing it as he surveyed the shop. "Are you managing without me?"

"Weell, I could use some help, but I'm not askin'," Gobber said, straightening up. "Not much work right now, I'm afraid. Apparently everybody knows that you're not workin' until ye git back, and they're not trustin' me with any of the good stuff."

Hiccup chuckled. "You should be happy about that, Gobber. Less work means less people coming to nag you about what a bad job you do – OW!"

Someone landed on Hiccup's back, pushing him forward against the counter and causing him to drop his food.

"Surprise!" Astrid cried, dropping off his back and throwing her arms around his shoulders.

"Surprise," Hiccup muttered sarcastically. "Seriously, Astrid, you should stop jumping on people like that. I was just about to, uhh, get Gobber really irritated, and you made me drop my – my food on the ground! Why would you do that?"

Astrid laughed, laying her head on Hiccup's shoulder. "Come on, Hiccup, I just wanted to give you a proper goodbye."

"Uhh, Astrid, I'm not leaving until tomorrow, and ifthatis your version of a proper goodbye, then I think I might have to seriously reconsider being around you before a trip."

"Aw, stop being such a big baby," Astrid chided, punching him lightly in the arm. "The Bog Burglars don't like wimpy Vikings, and if you gripe like that in front of Big Boobied Bertha she'll chop your head right off." She emphasized her point by running her fingers through Hiccup's wavy hair.

"Oh really, Milady?" Hiccup asked cheekily, laying both hands on her shoulders and looking into her eyes. "Can I ask you if you have ever met Big Boobied Bertha before?"

"No," Astrid said, smiling up into Hiccup's eyes. Her hand traced a loop down the back of his hair and onto the nape of his neck.

"Well, then, how do know anything about whether or not she decides to behead me? This is suspicious. I believe that you are, in fact, not a Hooligan, but a Bog Burglar in disguise. That is why you jump on people like a maniac."

"Interesting theory," Astrid replied, pulling Hiccup closer to her. "If you would care to have some reassurance -"

"Ahem." Gobber cleared his throat. The pair broke apart and reddened.

"Ahh, I would appreciate it if you could do this elsewhere." Gobber said slyly.

"I've got to go, Hiccup," Astrid said. "I'll be at my house if you want to stop by on your way out."

"Right," Hiccup said. "I think I'll just walk back with you. There's nothing cool going on in here anyways, now that I'm no longer working."

"Hiccup, you watch your smart mouth!" Gobber shouted at Hiccup as he ran away. "When you git back to work you're on coal cleanup for a week!"

Laughing, Hiccup and Astrid ducked through the crowd and away from Gobber.

"Teasing him is the funniest thing to do around here," Hiccup laughed. "And he'll probably forget about the coal duty by the time I get back." He draped his arm around Astrid's shoulders.

"When do you expect that to be?" Astrid asked, looking up at him.

"According to you, never," Hiccup laughed. "Because my head will apparently be mounted on a pike as soon as I set foot in Bog Burglar territory."

Astrid grinned. "I was being half serious there. You cannot show weakness among the Bog Burglars, or they will disdain you immediately. Not to the point of execution, but maybe enough to alter opinions."

"Won't they just mock me anyway for being so skinny?" Hiccup replied jokingly. "All the other tribes did. But maybe the Bog Burglars are looking for someone different, a sexier, more awesome Viking like myself."

"If they do, I won't tolerate any flirting while you're over there," Astrid warned him.

"No danger of that, Milady," Hiccup quipped, pulling her closer to him. "I'm happy with what I've got."

The duo reached the front porch of Astrid's house, and Hiccup walked to the door with her. As they reached the stoop, Astrid turned to face Hiccup.

"Hiccup, I need to talk to you," she said.

"Talk to me? Ok, just keep doing what you're doing."

"That's not what I mean, Hiccup," she snapped. "I dreamed about you last night."

"That is very flattering, Milady," Hiccup grinned.

"I'm serious, Hiccup!" Astrid stopped him in exasperation. "This dream – it was so real. I thought it was really happening."

"What was it?"

"We were older, a lot older. We were fighting a battle, trying to take a fortress with an army of dragons. Fishlegs was there too, with Meatlug. The castle had strange weapons that were fired like bolas but instead they sliced up the dragons with blades."

Hiccup frowned. "I don't like that. Go on."

"Well, there was a giant bottomless pit in the ground behind the walls. We went to attack the wall, and they shot – they shot a bunch of those blade things at us. We tried to dodge, but one hit Toothless. It chopped him up like a vegetable, and you fell off and lost an arm. Stormfly and I tried to catch you, and we fell down near that abyss. We caught you, but you were flung over the edge, and -"

Astrid closed her eyes and paused, a tear slipping down her cheek. "I woke up and for a second I thought I had lost you."

Hiccup stepped forward and hugged Astrid. She buried her head in his shoulder and held him tightly.

"It's all right, Astrid." Hiccup said reassuringly, patting her back. "Toothless and I don't plan on dying just yet, and I will promise you that I will never go near any bottomless pits without letting you know in advance."


	3. The Departure

Chapter 3: The Departure

Berk, Day of Hiccup's Departure

BOOM.

The doors of Berk's great hall opened, and Hiccup, flanked by Toothless, emerged from the entrance, the crowds behind cheering as he made his departure. Toothless was rolling in the glory, his tongue hanging out of his mouth in excitement as he strutted cockily down the steps towards the village. The mass of Vikings followed behind Hiccup, offering worthless words of advice that fell on very deaf ears. Hiccup was even tryingnotto hear the useless instructions that the village was shouting at him.

His metal leg clinking as he walked down the steps, Hiccup approached his father at the base of the steps. It was a Berkian tradition to have the village and chief send off the heir to the throne whenever he went on a journey, and every time Hiccup had needed to do so, Stoick had insisted on this tradition. Hiccup finished walking down the stairs, and strode up to his father. Becoming stiff and formal, he bowed. Stoick grabbed Hiccup's shoulder, raising his son's head, and looked into Hiccup's eyes.

"You are the heir to Berk, son," he said seriously. "Go and make our ways known." Then he lost his formality, adding, "And don't let Big Boobied Bertha scare you. She's mostly just full of hot air. When she yells at you, simply yell back loudly and you'll be fine."

"Thanks dad," Hiccup moaned sarcastically. "By that, I take it that she most certainlywillyell at me?"

"Of course, son!" Stoick boomed. "The Bog Burglars didn't last this long because they were meek and quiet! The tribe is also very good at pickpocketing. Try to keep anything valuable hidden, and keep a close eye out or else you may try to stand up and find that your prosthetic foot is missing."

"Thank you, dad, I will try to keep my leg on," laughed Hiccup. "And now, can I get going? The sooner I leave, the sooner I can come back, and these people are driving me crazy."

"Quite right, son!" Stoick agreed, and then turned to the crowd. "My son is about to leave! He gives the people of Berk his warmest farewells!"

"I never, uhh, said that, dad," Hiccup clarified, trying to make his father hear over the cheers of the crowd.

"It is time for him to leave now!" Stoick thundered. "Keep quiet as the Gothi graces him with good luck on the trip."

The village elder approached Hiccup, and the boy knelt in front of her as she leaned on her staff, looking at him. It was customary for the elder to mark runes on his palm for good luck. It had happened each time Hiccup had gone to demonstrate to other tribes, and he was used to it by now.

Gothi made the markings and allowed Hiccup to rise, but as he did, she looked at him with sadness, as if something was wrong. It unnerved Hiccup, and he shrugged it off.

Fishlegs walked out of the crowd and, pausing in front of his Hiccup, handed something to his friend. "Wear this when you walk among the Bog Burglars," he suggested. "It's a money pouch. When Bertha tries to steal it, which she will because you're a representative, she'll find it's full of fake coins, and that trick will earn you some major respect."

"Thanks, Legs," Hiccup said, and, taking the gift, grasped the other Viking's forearm. "You always think of the important stuff."

"Bring back any books you can get your hands on, allright?" Fishlegs asked as Hiccup swung up into his saddle.

"Sure, Legs. But I'm not sure you'll get much rational sense out of books from the Bog."

Fishlegs grinned. "Then I'll rewrite them."

Laughing, Hiccup pulled his mask onto his head, but left it uncovering his face, for someone else was coming towards him.

Astrid strode up past Fishlegs and stopped next to Toothless, looking up at Hiccup with sad expression.

Hiccup smiled at her. "I'm going to miss you, Milady."

"And I you." She smiled back at him.

Hiccup reached his hand out. She took it, and, stepping into Toothless' stirrup, pulled herself up with Hiccup's left arm. Her other hand wrapped around Hiccup's neck, and he pulled her into a deep kiss. His right hand played with the nape of her neck, toying with her blonde braid that was draped over her shoulder. Letting go of Hiccup's arm, Astrid took her other hand and laid it across the red dragon emblem on the chest of Hiccup's flight armor. Cradling her jaw with both his hands, Hiccup broke the kiss.

Breathlessly, Astrid looked into Hiccup's green eyes. She saw the adoration deep inside them, a complete and helpless love. He smiled at her.

"I love you, Astrid."

She kissed him again. "I love you too." She whispered.

Breaking away, she stepped down from Toothless, releasing his neck with her arm. "I got you something for the trip."

A broad grin broke out on Hiccup's face. "What kind of crazy thing are deciding to send me with this time, Milady?"

Astrid pulled out a small item from her pouch on her side. It was wrapped in cloth, but, flicking away the fabric, Astrid revealed a large blue Nadder scale, on which her face was etched in a darker blue. A chain was attached to it.

"Wear it while you're gone," Astrid commanded, "and remember me whenever you look at it. Don't let the Boggies swipe it from you."

Hiccup turned serious. He leaned his head down, and Astrid, avoiding his mask, clipped the chain around his neck. Rising back up, Hiccup tucked the Nadder scale carefully into his shirt.

"I'll treasure it always, Milady," he said jokingly. "And I don't think I'll need any help thinking about you while I'm gone."

Astrid smiled. "No flattery, Hiccup," she said sternly.

"I'm sorry, Astrid, but I'm afraid I was serious," Hiccup said with mock sadness, hanging his head.

Astrid smiled and shook her head. That boy was so adorable.

Hiccup, with one last smile at Astrid, turned to his dragon. "You ready to go, bud?"

Toothless warbled excitedly, digging his claws into the dirt and spreading his wings.

"Have a safe trip, Hiccup," Astrid called, placing her hand on Toothless' wing.

"I'm always safe, Milady!" Hiccup replied with Hiccuplike amusement, even as he dropped his mask and clicked his prosthetic into place. Toothless shot into the sky, blasting Astrid with cool morning air. The crowds cheered and waved, and Astrid thought she could see Hiccup wave back. But the Night Fury was as fast as the wind, and was soon only a speck in the morning sky, roaring his farewell. The crowd dissipated, but Astrid stayed where she was, watching in sadness as the boy and his dragon vanished into the sunrise.

Deep Helheim, Day of Hiccup's Departure

"We have found the boy, My Queen."

"The rider of the Night Fury?"

"Yes. He is on a small island in the middle of the barbaric archipelago, near the nest of the Red Death. It is him, beyond any doubt."

"I need him."

"I know, my Queen. But taking him, dead or alive, will not be easy. My dragon is not yet capable to defeat a Night Fury, especially one gifted enough to take down an Alpha class dragon. Besides, my informant tells me that the entire village ride dragons. I will need more forces to take the boy."

"I can give you none."

"My Queen, you have thousands of soldiers. Give me enough to destroy Berk and take the Night Fury."

"Fool! I have not yet gained the power to release the armies of Niflheim. I need more power to crack the bonds of the underworld. I cannot give you any assistance. I have lost control of the dragons contained under the Red Death, and I cannot wait to send you more from the others. I need the Night Fury and the Rider now, and you must get them for me!"

"You ask much, My Queen."

"I ask what is necessary for the victory of Niflheim! The Black Rider cannot grace the skies. This boy, the rising hero, must be taken to me. I need to get him before he is found by the Asgardians. Get him here."

"I will need a ruse, My Queen."

"Then use one. You are the only vassal I have that can access Midgard. I do not care how it is done, but I need the boy. Once I have him, it will be simple to finally unchain the armies of the dead, and all will be lost for Midgard. This entire war depends on your success. Do not fail me."

"This ruse may require giving the boy information regarding your dragon, My Queen."

"I don't care what you use. Just get him here. War is coming, Zyon. Here is your chance for glory. Go."

"As you wish, My Queen."


	4. Among the big burglars

Chapter 4: Among the Bog Burglars

North Berk, Day 2 since Hiccup's Departure

Stormfly curled through the sky, doing her favorite loops and twists through the sea stacks outside Berk. The sun was setting in the distance, making the horizon grow red with emotion. Sitting astride her dragon's back, Astrid laughed in exhilaration as the warm evening air whistled through her loose hair, making it billow wildly behind her, getting tangled with the handle of her axe, which was strapped across her back.

She didn't know why she still carried the weapon with her. She hadn't needed to use it for over a year, and sometimes even looking at it brought back unpleasant memories of training to kill what were now their closest allies. She quickly pushed the thoughts to the back of her head and began to daydream, her head dropping forward on her chest. She thought of Hiccup, how he had kissed her right before he left yesterday morning. How he had taken her gift with a grin on his face but treated it like a sacred object. He was in love with her, he had said so, and she loved him back. This could not possibly go wrong. How long, she thought, would it take for Hiccup to ask her parents for her hand in marriage? They were both only fifteen, but Vikings always got married at that age.

Stormfly passed through a cloud, and as soon as she emerged on the other side, loud noises woke Astrid from her musings. She was high in the sky, hearing echoes of dragon roars and shrieks of dying men. And Toothless was flying in front of her, shooting vicious plasma blasts at a fortress ahead of them. Hiccup sat astride the Night Fury, his back to Astrid, and bent over in the saddle as Toothless swept through the air. A metal shield with a dragon design was strapped to his back.

All of a sudden the sky was filled with flying weapons, whizzing around her like angry bees. Twisting in the air, Stormfly dodged through them, forcing Astrid's eyes away from Hiccup momentarily. Stormfly straightened out, and Astrid looked back ahead. Toothless was performing evasive maneuvers, bladed objects flying past him in every direction. The dragon was a master at the art, twisting away from the blades with ease. Suddenly the Night Fury's body rocked with a collision, hurling Hiccup from the saddle. Black blood flew from Toothless' body and smacked Astrid full in the face, blotting her vision.

Screaming in panic, she wiped the hot liquid from her eyes, looking ahead for Hiccup. Toothless was falling from the sky, blood flying from the Night Fury as he spun down towards the ocean below Stormfly. Even as he fell, a second projectile smacked into him, and Astrid shrieked in horror as the dragon was completely chopped into pieces, legs and guts flying in all directions.

Stormfly banked downward, her claw outstretched, trying to get to something below her. Astrid tore her gaze away from the dead the dead dragon falling underneath her, and looked ahead. The bladed weapons had stopped coming, and through the clear skies, she saw Hiccup. He was haphazardly careening towards the shore, riding the wind on some kind of flying suit. Astrid, looking onward, saw that he was flying right into a dark, black, bottomless pit.

Astrid shouted, her head snapping upright, waking from the nightmare with a gasp. Stormfly squawked questioningly below her, her blue eyes searching Astrid curiously for an explanation for the outburst. Astrid closed her eyes and breathed deeply, and only then realized that her eyes smarted in pain. Rubbing them with her palms, her hands came away with what looked like black blood.

And it was still warm.

Bog Burglar Island, Day 2 since Hiccup's Departure

"And, that, bud, is Bog Burglar Island!" Hiccup exclaimed from his position on Toothless' back. "What'd you think of that, pal? Berk to the Bog in only two days! That's got to be a new record, what do you think?"

Toothless warbled happily. The journey to the Bog had been largely uneventful. They had stopped for the night at some deserted island some fifty miles from Berk. After that the wind had been at their back and pushed them in the direction of the Bog Burglar tribe, where they had now just arrived.

Hiccup was standing on Toothless' back, peering with his spyglass over the massive fog surrounding the home of the Bog Burglars. The name wasn't there for no reason; there were a LOT of swamps and bogs on the land, and this created a legion of damp clouds that hung around the island like giant white ghosts, obscuring Hiccup's vision. But he was able to locate the high ground, and on that was the village, clear of any fog.

He sat down in the saddle again, exclaiming, "Yeah, bud! We're as fast as Snotlout when his pants are on fire!"

Toothless chuckled a throaty dragon laugh, warbling back at his rider. Hiccup could not speak the dragon language, but could tell what Toothless was trying to say.

"Sure bud, I don't care. You can light his pants on fire all you want when we back." Then he added, "If we ever do. I am really,reallydiscouraged by the idea of trying to convince those people about dragons."

Toothless growled threateningly.

"Yeah, bud, I believe you. I'm perfectly safe when you're with me. But don't go killing anybody because they merely touch me. They're probably just be trying to steal something. Last time I saw a Bog Burglar, it was at a tribal meeting when I was five and Bertha's daughter Camicazi somehow swiped my underwear and replaced them with Gobber's dirty handkerchief."

Toothless shook with dragon laughter, smoke puffing from his nostrils in amusement. Then he stopped and looked back at Hiccup with an accusatory glance. Hiccup laughed.

"You're right, bud. That story wasn't true, and yes, you're also right that I'm trying to get you to relax before we go and meet those crazy people! Absolutely right, bud. You got me."

Toothless shook his head and slapped Hiccup with his ear.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, bud. But these are Bog Burglars, Toothless! That means they are about as crazy as three Ruffnuts and probably about as stupid as three Snotlouts. Plus, they're also light fingered. Half of that story was true, by the way. Camicazi did, in fact, steal my underwear. But she didn't replace them with Gobber's handkerchief. She actually stuck them to the horns of my dad's helmet."

Toothless roared with laughter, the dragon's body shaking so much that he dropped in the sky, losing some altitude. Recovering, he warbled back at his rider, and then dragon-laughed again.

Hiccup chuckled too. "I know, bud, that would have been so funny. But sadly, that's not a true story either."

Toothless warbled again.

"Why, thank you, bud. Thank you for not hitting me this time. The story was so funny that you're not even mad, right?"

Toothless growled.

"Ok, you're still a little mad. But now you're not so tense now, are you?"

The Night Fury grudgingly acknowledged this.

"All right, bud, let me think. What did Fishlegs say about the Boggies? He said, and this is a direct quote, by the way, that they tend to respect demonstrations of power, and doing something to show your dominance earns you 23 respect. So let's give them a little scare."

Toothless crooned excitedly.

"Now, bud, not anything too bad. No blowing stuff up. We're allies, and if we are the cause of breaking that pact, I'd rather stay here and get held as a prisoner than go back and tell my dad how badly we messed up. No. Not going to happen. So let's just give them a flyby, shake them up a little."

Toothless growled in agreement and anticipation.

"All right bud, let's do it. Let them know we've arrived."

Hiccup braced himself as Toothless bellowed an air-shaking roar, Hiccup's ears vibrating with the sound. Then Toothless fired a large plasma blast, which exploded directly over the island, causing a purple circle of fire to appear over the village. Hiccup looked ahead with his spyglass and saw people running out of their homes, looking first at the purple explosion above them, and then at the source.

Toothless barked back at Hiccup inquiringly.

"Nope, bud, we're good. There's no weapons aimed at us, and they knew I'd be riding a Night Fury when I came. They should know we're friends. Go right ahead."

Roaring excitedly, Toothless angled himself downward. The wind whistled through Hiccup's mask as Toothless began the descent into the thick fog surrounding the island. Soon they could see absolutely nothing in the blank whiteness.

"This'll catch them off guard, bud," Hiccup laughed, his voice muffled by the thick clouds. "They won't even see us until we're right on top of them!"

Toothless roared in answer, and then the dragon and his rider burst through the clouds, right in front of the throng of Bog Burglars standing in the middle of the village. The residents screamed in fear as Toothless thundered by a mere ten feet above their heads, causing them to shout and duck for cover. The Night Fury angled his wings, deliberately blasting them with the wind from his flight. Rising above the homes of the Bog Burglars, Toothless soared right past their chieftain's house and their great hall. He gave another roar before corkscrewing up into the air, drawing a full circle horizontal to the ground, looping high above the village, leaving Hiccup upside down with a view of the chaos they had created below. Then, as he completed the loop, he came right down towards the Bog Burglar's dock, where he spread his wings and landed gracefully on the wood.

Hiccup, giving his dragon a pat, dismounted.I sure hope Fishlegs was right about this whole powerful thing, Hiccup thought.Because if they take it the wrong way then I'm a dead man.

Slowly the Bog Burglars peered out of their doors and windows, looking carefully at Hiccup and Toothless. What they saw was a thin boy stroking the snout of the Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death Itself. Then Hiccup removed his mask, and, with a smile on his face, strode towards the village, Toothless trailing behind.

"What kind of a welcome is this?" Hiccup shouted jokingly. "I thought Hooligan representatives were supposed to be greeted appropriately!"

Every single Bog Burglar leapt out of their hiding place, their pride having been insulted. Big Boobied Bertha herself walked out of a house and looked as dignified as she could under the circumstances.

"I AM HONORED TO WELCOME BERK'S REPRESENTATIVE TO BOG BURLAR SHORES!" Bertha boomed. "ALTHOUGH WE WERE NOT ANTICIPATING AN AGGRESSIVE ACT!"

"I hope you are not frightened by the beast!" Hiccup shouted back, taking his father's advice and yelling back at her.

"OF COURSE NOT!" Bertha thundered in reply, but it was evident by the looks in the eyes of her tribe that this was untrue.

"How about we leave off any work this evening," Hiccup suggested, still shouting at the top of his lungs, "and begin discussions in the morning?"

"OF COURSE!" Bertha boomed. "PREPARE THE GREAT HALL! THERE SHALL BE A FEAST TONIGHT TO HONOR THE SON OF STOICK THE VAST!"

The Bog Burglars cheered, all of them running towards the great hall. Hiccup thought it was an excuse to get away from Toothless, who was sitting confidently behind Hiccup. However, he had to credit Big Boobied Bertha's bravery. She walked up to him, and, ignoring the Night Fury, placed a massive arm around Hiccup's shoulders and gestured towards the hall.

"THE DRAGON IS VERY IMPRESSIVE," she roared, right above Hiccup's ear, leading him after the village. "VERY UNLIKE YOUR SIZE, TOOTHPICK!"

"I am glad you like him!" Hiccup tried to roar back, but his face was basically buried in Bertha's breasts, each of which looked like they weighed as much as he did.

"I HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR STAY, MY BOY!" Bertha added. "SPEAKING OF WHICH, WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"

"I am Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, Son of Stoick the Vast, chief of Berk and the Hairy Hooligans," Hiccup stated formally, forgetting to shout.

"AND YOU ARE IN FACT HERE TO CONVINCE US NOT TO FIGHT THE DRAGONS?" Bertha asked.

"That is correct," Hiccup replied. "And under absolutely NO circumstances is anyone to harm my dragon, or he will start killing people. IS THAT CLEAR!" He thundered.

"THAT'S THE SPIRIT!" Bertha roared back. "NOW LET US FEAST AND YOU CAN CONVINCE US IN THE MORNING!"

She dropped her arm from Hiccup's shoulders and the two of them entered the Bog Burglar's great hall, where barrels of ale were being broke out, food was being served, and fires were lit. Toothless marched in behind the pair, causing every set of eyes in the building to look at Hiccup.

"Whatever you do," Hiccup announced to the tribe, "do NOT harm or attack this dragon. You may touch him with permission, and he might even lick you if he decides to. But do not come near him with weapons and do NOT try to steal anything of his, or you will end up as a pile of ashes on the floor. Dragons can be kind and friendly, but abuse one, and you'll regret it. If you don't, you have nothing to worry about."

Then he turned to Big Boobied Bertha.

"Also, I would request five barrels of ale for Toothless. Trust me, he likes to get drunk too."

This caused the crowd of villagers to laugh, and activities resumed once more, the bustle and chatter of the feast taking hold. Toothless was escorted to a table, where Bog Burglars removed their weapons and slowly approached to look at him. Soon the Night Fury began to goof off, making the female Vikings laugh and shout. All the tension was lost.

"COME WITH ME, HICCUP SON OF STOICK," Bertha said to the young dragon rider. "YOU MUST SIT AT THE HEAD TABLE WITH ME."

"I would be honored," Hiccup replied with the air of a diplomat. "I have heard that your mead is the finest in the archipelago, and I have been longing to taste for myself."

Bertha beamed at the praise. "OF COURSE!" She boomed. "BRING OUT THE ALE! OUR GUESTS ARE THIRSTY!"

The Bog Burglars cheered once more, and Hiccup watched in amusement as they rolled five large barrels of mead over to Toothless. Tearing open the first, the Night Fury buried his head in the ale, causing cheers to erupt from the crowds.

Bertha escorted him to a table in the middle of the room and gestured to the seat next to the head, where she sat on a massive throne. Hiccup took the chair with a nod at Bertha, and then the feast began in earnest.

Hiccup's earlier comment about the Bog Burglar's mead was merely flattery. In fact, he hated the stuff, and only pretended to drink while Bertha called out toast after toast, hoping his deception would go unnoticed. It didn't.

"Why don't you drink the mead?" a sweet female voice asked beside him. Turning, Hiccup locked eyes with a stunningly beautiful Bog Burglar girl. He had sworn he had seen her before, and then remembered why.

"Oh, Camicazi!" he grinned, and offered his hand. She took it, her deep brown eyes gazing deep into his.

"It's great to, uhh, see you again," Hiccup continued awkwardly.

Camicazi smiled. "And you. You've grown quite a bit since I last saw you."

"Well I would hope so, Camicazi," Hiccup smiled. "I was five years old then, I was what, maybe three feet tall and probably about as strong as a beetle."

Camicazi smiled at him again. "Call me Cami. So tell me, why don't you drink the mead?"

Hiccup shrugged sheepishly. "I never liked beer. Nor mead. Nor ale of any kind. It makes my head go round and makes me want to puke."

Camicazi gawked. "No way!"

Hiccup nodded. "Sadly, I never saw the point in getting drunk, either. You're too vulnerable to defend yourself and develop the manners and brains of a half-grown donkey."

Camicazi laughed, the sweet sound echoing across the noisy hall. She placed her hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "It's not that bad, trust me. Even your dragon agrees."

Hiccup looked over at his friend. Toothless was already on his third barrel and was beginning to act intoxicated. He stopped drinking for a moment to let out a loud burp, and then started guzzling once more.

Camicazi giggled. "I can't believe that is the same dragon that flew right over our heads an hour ago. He's so funny."

"Yeah, he, uhh, has two sides to him," Hiccup replied. "Depending on the situation, he can be as savage as a demon or as gentle as a kitten. Here's little tip; if you want him to like you, just tell him he flies like a legend and feed him fish. That'll get him to love you in no time."

"Are you going to let any of us fly on him?" Camicazi asked excitedly.

"Why not?" Hiccup answered with a smile. "You can be the first."

"Can I go right now?" Camicazi asked, leaping to her feet.

"In Thor's name, NO," Hiccup laughed. "I would ride him myself while he's likethis."

He pointed across the room, where Toothless was tripping over a bench in a clumsy attempt to walk on two legs. He failed, and crashed to the floor, leaving Bog Burglars roaring with merriment.

Hiccup chuckled. "You see, not a good idea, Camicazi."

The blonde Bog Burglar sat back down, this time closer to Hiccup on the bench.

"Cami," she corrected him.

"Sorry,Cami," he answered apologetically.

She shrugged it off. "It's Ok. Can I ride him tomorrow morning, then?"

Hiccup laughed. "If he's not too hung over, then absolutely."

The Bog Burglar girl nodded, once more shifting closer to Hiccup, her hand sliding along his back.

"I could show you your room," she suggested slyly, her face leaning into towards his. "I think it's a little crowded in this hall, don't you? Let's get away from here."

She leaned in and kissed Hiccup, taking him completely off guard. Sliding her other hand to his neck, she pulled him deeper into the kiss, her lips dancing against his.

Hiccup was stunned. Camicazi was kissing him. They had literally just met, and here she was, kissing him. She was good at it, too, and tasted like wild honey. Her hand slid seductively against his neck and clinked against something, which brought Hiccup's mind back to him. It was a chain. Astrid's Nadder scale. Astrid would KILL him if she saw what he was doing right now.

Abruptly sliding his hand between their lips, he broke the kiss, pushing Camicazi away with a gentle but firm hand.

"No," he said softly. "I can't."

Camicazi looked stunned. Never before had she been rejected by anyone, and to have Hiccup breaking her kiss was shocking.

"What did you say?" she asked, dazed.

"I can't," Hiccup repeated, his voice firm. "I have â a girlfriend, Ok? And I won't have this happening to her."

Camicazi was still speechless. Hiccup continued, a bit harsher than he intended. "It's nothing against you,Camicazi,but I can't and won't do this. I love someone else, and I'm sticking to it. So why don't I go find outmyselfwhere my room is," Hiccup said angrily, rising from the bench. "Because I'm really tired, and need some rest to get away from this chaos." And then he added under his breath, "And foolish Bog Burglar women."

He stalked to the exit, opened the door to the great hall, and departed, leaving Camicazi stunned and sitting awkwardly where he had left her.

There's chapter four! Hope you enjoyed!


	5. a prisoner

Chapter 5: A Prisoner

Bog Burglar Island, Day 3 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup strode out of the great hall, his flight mask clinking against his belt. Toothless, who was fully recovered from the drunken partying of the previous night, stalked out next to him. Pausing at the top of the steps, Hiccup surveyed the crowd of Bog Burglars from above. Big Boobied Bertha herself was in the front. All of them were awaiting an explanation on how to train a dragon.

Hiccup scanned the crowd, resting his eyes on each woman as he spoke.

"The first rule to riding a dragon," he declared loudly, "Is to gain its trust. You must understand that a dragon is not a slave. He is not yours to command, and his actions are not decided merely on your whim. A dragon has its own mind, its own soul, just like a human, and should be treated as such. Hence, the trust. The dragon, I repeat, is not yours to command, but if I ask Toothless to go flying, he does it, not because he has to, but because he loves and trusts me. I can carry my sword with me and he doesn't mind because he trusts me. Do you all understand what trust is?"

There were nods and affirmations from the crowd. His eyes darting from face to face, he saw Camicazi with them. He grimaced, recalling that he promised to let her ride first. It would be terribly awkward when he spoke to her again.

Hiccup pushed his thoughts away and continued. "In order to establish this trust, you need to cautiously approach the dragon and touch it, to let him know you're a friend. But be careful. If you make any move that the dragon deems hostile, like getting in its blind spot or drawing a weapon, you aredead. Just be patient and non-threatening, and you should be able to touch it eventually. Dragons are amazing creatures. They can tell right away if the person they are in contact with is worth trusting or not. If the dragon does not approve of you, you'll have to find another dragon that will."

He outstretched his palm towards Toothless, and the dragon unhesitatingly buried his nose in Hiccup's hand. Hiccup stroked the dragon's black snout as he continued to address the tribe.

"Once trust is established, things are much easier. Get to know your dragon. Learn how it likes to be tickled or rubbed. However, you still need to be careful at this point. Still no weapons, and stay out of its blind spot. Let the dragon know that you are his friend and that he is perfectly safe. Only then can you start the fun part."

Swinging up into the saddle, he clicked his prosthetic leg into its place, opening Toothless' tail fin.

"This," he announced, "Is why having dragons is the best!"

Toothless crouched down and shot into the air, his wings pumping wildly. Doing a circle around the village, Hiccup shouted down at the stunned tribe below.

"When you're up here, you can see everything! Any purse that's waiting to be stolen, every sheep that got lost, and whether or not your daughter is getting the right meat at the market. And above all, you get ultimate stealth and speed!" He pointed to a sea stack a distance away. "Place your bets, Bog Burglars! How fast can Toothless and I go to that sea stack and back? Two minutes? Three? Dragons make traveling no longer a boring, worthless excursion, but rather an exciting endeavor." He pulled his mask on. "Let's go, bud!"

Toothless roared loudly, and, like an arrow shot from a bow, raced towards the sea stack, leaving the shocked Bog Burglars behind.

Toothless sped through the air, the wind breezing by. They flew over the shores of the island and then nothing but the deep sea was beneath them.

"YEEEEEAAHHH!" Hiccup whooped, lying almost flat on his face in the saddle. "Let's do this in less than two minutes, bud!"

Toothless roared in agreement, trying to increase his speed. Approaching the rock formation that was the turnaround point, Toothless spun around it with such force it nearly flung Hiccup from the saddle.

"WOOHOOOOO!" Hiccup shouted, his voice echoing back to the Bog Burglars on the island, who were still watching in stunned amazement. "Fantastic turn, bud! Now let's go! Keep it up!" Toothless was too focused to answer, but sped up to begin the final stretch into the island.

"We're going to do it, bud!" Hiccup laughed, holding on for dear life. "Almost there! Move!"

Right after Hiccup finished speaking, the air around Toothless changed. A calm breeze was replaced with a shrieking wind, which was so strong it started to carry Toothless with it. Waves leapt up from the ocean beneath, crashing into the dragon and his rider. Toothless roared, getting swept away.

"Watch out, bud!" Hiccup screamed, as the wind became faster pushing Toothless away. "We're going in a circle!"

He was right. A giant whirlpool of wind and water enveloped the dragon and his rider, spinning them haphazardly around and around. Toothless lost all control, and submitted to the will of the cyclone, bellowing in fear for his rider, who was unable to hold on the dragon.

Hiccup was torn off Toothless' back, getting spun around uncontrollably in the storm, water and gusts of wind striking him and causing him to spin away from his dragon, losing his flight mask.

"Toothless!" He shouted, but this voice was completely drowned out in the roar of the wind. He was in a separate whirlwind now, alone. Toothless was gone. Then all turned silent: only a grey wall of wind spinning around Hiccup was what was left.

"Bud!" he screamed. "Toothless, where are you?!" Silence was his only answer. He was spinning away, further and further into darkness.

"Toothless!" He cried out. No answer came, only utter stillness. "TOOTHLESS!" He screamed. "ANSWER ME, BUD! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

The silence sneered at him, and Hiccup felt panic coming on. He was spinning helplessly, being tossed around like a sack of potatoes. He felt like he needed to puke. Then the walls of the cyclone closed on him, and he blacked out.

South Berk, Day 3 since Hiccup's Departure

"So what's been up with you lately?" Fishlegs asked. Astrid jumped, interrupted from her musings. Darn Fishlegs. The big boy was quieter than he looked.

"Odin above, Fishlegs, don't sneak up on people like that." She said, turning around to face him.

"I'm sorry, Astrid," he said apologetically. "I just assumed that you would have easily heard me by now."

He walked up and sat down next to her, his short legs dangling over the cliff above Berk. Astrid turned her gaze back to the sunset, trying to ignore the boy. It annoyed her to have Fishlegs intruding.

"So... why are you sitting here?" Fishlegs asked, not looking at her, but following her gaze into the distance. "I know Hiccup's gone and all, but according to my statistics he will be back in approximately 12.48 days, and everything will be better by 87.35 percent. You should be riding Stormfly or throwing axes at trees or beating up Snotlout or something, not just looking at the horizon like it's in the middle of a staring contest with you. That sounds like something the twins would do."

Astrid turned to look at him. "Why do you care, anyways?" she snapped. "I just want some peace and quiet. I'm trying to escape from annoying fat boys." She turned back to the sea.

Fishlegs shrunk back at her onslaught. "I'm sorry Astrid," he mumbled again. "I just – Hiccup asked me to keep an eye on you."

Astrid spun and looked at him. "What's that?" she demanded.

"Hiccup wanted me to make sure you were Ok while he was gone," Fishlegs murmured. He told me not to let you get sad while he was gone, because you might."

"And what did you say?" Astrid asked.

"I said I would, of course," Fishlegs replied. "Hiccup's my best friend, and I couldn't let him down. And I know he wouldn't be happy to see you gloomy like this. I told him I would only have a 0.08 percent chance of cheering you up, but I did promise I'd try. So I'm making Meatlug wait for her belly rub while I'm walking up here to talk to you for no apparent reason, since you are, of course, not saying anything." Then he added, "Typical Astrid."

Astrid glowered at him, and he cowered.

"Ok, Ok, Ok! Don't hit me!" He pleaded. "I was just doing what I was requested to do, and I – I guess I failed. I'll go now." The big boy got up and started to walk back to the village.

"Fishlegs." Astrid said, stopping him.

"Yeah Astrid?"

"Why don't you sit down again?" she asked, this time kindly.

"Uhh, sure," Fishlegs replied, repeating his steps and cautiously retaking his seat next to Astrid watching her like a hawk for any incoming punches.

They sat in silence for a full minute, and then Fishlegs cleared his throat.

"If you just want to say, 'I love Hiccup and I miss him so much, that's why I'm sitting here' that's perfectly fine with me. I won't judge you – out loud."

Astrid punched him in the gut. Fishlegs doubled over.

"Bad idea Fishlegs," he whined to himself. "Verybad idea." He looked up. "But I guess you're becoming your old self again. That's good. Are you really missing Hiccup that bad?"

Astrid smiled. "That's not it, Fishlegs. Well, I mean – it sort of is. I just – I have this dumb feeling -" she paused - "That Hiccup's not coming back."

Fishlegs looked at her like she was crazy, then waved his arms. "Ok. Take away everything I said about back to normal. This is completely out of character. You are, in fact, believing that Hiccup will not return, which has only a 0.034 percent chance, by my reckoning. You are insane. Well – 42 percent more insane than normal."

"Well, I just have that feeling," she snapped. "I've been getting these dreams – oh, forget about it."

She rose and stalked away, leaving Fishlegs sitting where she left him. The big boy watched her leave, and then shrugged. "I'll never understand girls," he said to himself sadly.

Hiccup's vision blurred, refocused, blurred, and refocused again. A bright light was shining at his face, blinding him. He staggered upright, shielding his eyes from the brightness, and as his eyes adjusted, he saw that he was in a small room, and the bright light was coming from a hole in the ceiling. The hole was barred with iron rungs.

"Toothless!" He shouted, his voice echoing off the walls of his prison. "Toothless! Come on, bud! Where did you go?"

He stepped forward, uncovering his eyes and looking about him trying to decide where he was. Just as he did so, a door opened, and two men, who were clad in golden armor, entered and stood in front of him. They were both enormous, towering above Hiccup by at least two feet. They had white cloaks, golden helmets, and a sword hung at each of their belts. They were obviously guards.

"Where am I?" Hiccup shouted hoarsely, stepping towards them. "Where is my dragon?"

The men didn't answer. They merely stepped forward, grabbed Hiccup's arms, and shoved Hiccup in front of them, pushing him to the open door that they had entered from. Still forcefully marching Hiccup, they turned left down a long hallway.

"Hey!" Hiccup shouted. "Who are you people? Why am I being hauled about like I'm some kind of criminal?"

The men remained stubbornly silent, only caring about one thing, moving Hiccup through the halls. They did this with much more force than was necessary, squeezing Hiccups arms with grips of iron and keeping their other hand on their swords.

Hiccup had absolutely no idea where he was. Looking around, he saw that the walls of the hallway he was being escorted through were all made of hard stone, with an occasional barred door. Windows with bars in them also caught his attention.

"Is it just me, or does this look like a dungeon?" Hiccup queried jokingly, as the men continued hauling him roughly through the chambers. "Because it certainly does to me. This also means that I was just in one of those rooms, which goes on to imply that I am a captive. Can you at least tell me why I am, as a prisoner, being taken somewhere else?"

The golden-clad men said nothing.

"Wow, you guys are really talkative," Hiccup remarked, letting his weight sag, forcing the men to drag him along the floor, his prosthetic making a scraping noise as it slid along the hard stone. "You know, when I was a baby, my dad told me a story about a man who kept his mouth shut for too long. The insides of his throat rotted, and maggots ended up breeding in his brain, causing him to become nothing more than a walking corpse. You guys kind of remind me of him."

Again, no answer, and Hiccup grinned, continuing to joke.

"Can we move a little faster, please? I sure hope you're escorting me to dinner, because that would be absolutelyfantastic.I haven't had anything decent to eat since leaving my island, and apparently you don't like feeding people around here. What kind of hospitality is this?"

Hiccup saw no reaction through the soldier's golden helmets, but still continued.

"All right, I could have had something to eat last night, but unfortunately I was forced to leave a massive celebration because some beautiful blonde-haired girl was trying to drag me to her room with her. I sure hope a bedroom is not where you fellows are planning on taking me."

Another pause.

"Do you guys like blondes? I mean, they're all amazing, right? But I don't know why I'm asking. You guys wouldn't know. If you're as quiet with girls as you are right now, you'll find that they'll get bored of you pretty fast. I knowI'mgetting bored."

They dragged Hiccup past another pair of golden-helmeted guards, who were walking in the opposite direction.

"Oh look, more mutes!" Hiccup shouted, trying to turn and look at them. "No, guys, stop! I want to see if they can talk! You can't all be stone dumb around here! Oh, man, you sure don't make life fun for a fellow."

Hiccup allowed another grin to pass across his face. If these men wouldn't answer his questions, he would make life miserable for them during the entire trip.

"Those are some nice looking head covers you guys have," Hiccup continued. "Are they made of real gold? That must be hard to wear around, but you know what they say, thick helmets for thick skulls."

Still no response came, and the trio came to a large stone door with a massive lock. It opened for them. marching through, they left the austere dungeon and instantly found themselves in a completely different area of the building. The walls were marble, and golden pillars were common. The torches mounted on the walls were also gold, and they provided the only light in the wide passage, which was layered with gorgeous red carpeting. There were no windows. A regiment of ten men with golden helmets and swords appeared from the side and surrounded them, providing a secure escort.

"Wow, I must be really dangerous," Hiccup said, nodding his head. "Seriously, how many do you need? I'll bet there's another hundred ready to attack whenever I decide to take you guys out. Am I right?"

Not a single soldier answered, and they all entered a tower which housed a wide staircase. Hiccup was unceremoniously dragged up the steps. His metal leg clinked on each step, making a noise that Hiccup decided was very irritating. He didn't say anything while they climbed the set of steps, trying to make his leg sound as annoying as it possibly could. It was a long ways up, and Hiccup couldn't help but smile as he realized how maddening the sound must be.

Clink. Bang. Clink. Bang. Clink.

The guards leading the march opened a door, and the noise of the metal leg died away as the floor became smooth carpeting once again. Once again, Hiccup broke the silence.

"And… I would really appreciate a destination update, by the way. Anytime now."

As if to answer his question, the caravan stopped. Looking up, Hiccup saw that he was in front of a massive set of doors, made with solid gold. Before he had any time to admire it, the guards flung him forcefully to the ground.

"Oww! Why so brutal? I think I'll complain about this to whoever you're taking me to. Come on, be more more careful!"

Two other guards hauled him to his feet and raised his arms into the air. Another guard came over and began to search him for weapons, doing a very thorough job.

"Watch it, I'm ticklish," Hiccup joked, squirming in the guard's grasp. "And be careful with my flight armor. It took me days to make that that thing, you'd better not mess it up."

The guard didn't seem to care. He merely focused on his search, and eventually found Hiccup's tiny, thin knife that was hidden in the leather of his boot.

"See, fellows!" Hiccup exclaimed. "Look how careless you were, escorting a dangerous prisoner while he was armed! Why, I could have killed you all with that thing! I would suggest being more careful next time."

Of course, there was no reply. Then the guard reached around Hiccup's neck and pulled away the chain that was around it, revealing the sparkling blue of Astrid's Nadder scale.

"And... I would really appreciate it if you didn't take that!" Hiccup shouted, lunging for it. "That is a highly valuable item!" He struggled in the soldier grip, having lost all his joking nature. "Give that back to me! It's not dangerous, and there's no need to take it!"

The soldier who had been frisking Hiccup didn't give it back. Instead he gestured to the two men holding Hiccup. Together, they flung Hiccup to the floor with a thud. Then all the soldiers except one turned and left, leaving Hiccup alone by the doors, which were only guarded by two sentinels, dressed exactly like everyone else.

Hiccup turned, facing the lone soldier that remained. Hiccup was confident that he was one of the men who had gotten him from his cell. The soldier stood tall, his feet planted wide, and Hiccup thought he could see a scowl under his helmet.

"All right," Hiccup shouted angrily, upset that they had taken Astrid's gift. "WHY IN ODIN'S NAME AM I HERE?!"

Finally, the soldier actually answered.

"Odin's name IS why you're here!" He thundered, and then left, closing the door with a bang, leaving Hiccup standing in front of the golden gates, hopelessly confused.

At that juncture a shining light appeared off to Hiccup's right, causing him to direct his attention towards the source. Out of the shadows there appeared a beautiful girl, who looked to be around twelve years old. She shined with a bright white light that seemed to emit from her, causing her to glow with a radiant light. As she came closer, Hiccup could see that she had wonderful golden hair that fell past her waist, and bright purple eyes, which sparkled and shined. She was dressed in a sleeveless white dress, which also radiated white rays of light. Hiccup's jaw dropped at her childlike innocence and beauty.

The young girl spoke, still approaching him, her bare feet padding softly on the tiles.

"It sounded like you really annoyed those guards," she laughed. Her voice was the sweetest Hiccup had ever heard, as it reminded him of a soft summer breeze that flooded you with warmth while it passed. He was still speechless, and simply stood still, staring awkwardly at the girl.

"Don't be mad at them for taking your necklace," she continued, still walking towards him. "They were just doing their job. Our Master has very rigid protocols regarding prisoners." She smiled, stopping just a few feet away from Hiccup, looking up at him with her innocent purple eyes.

"You look confused," she continued, the smile never leaving her face. "Ask me whatever you like; I will at least try to answer, unlike the soldiers."

Hiccup finally regained his voice. "In that case," he said, "I will ask away. One, where is my dragon? What happened to him? Where am I going? Am I a prisoner? And if so, why?"

The girl's smile waned. "We are going to meet the Master of this realm," she responded. "All of your other questions can be answered by him. I am here to escort you to him, Riddari Hiccup." She gestured to the doors.

"How do you know my name?" Hiccup asked, astonished.

"I know a great many things," the girl replied, coming closer to him and looking up at him. At her height, she barely reached Hiccup's chest. "Too much, in fact. Come, let us meet our Master, who can answer all your requests."

Hiccup nodded, motioning to the doors. "Please, lead on. But first, tell me why you are so trusting. I am, as you said earlier, a prisoner, and I could have reached out and broke your neck by now. How can you justify your faith in me?"

The girl laughed again. Hiccup felt like he could listen to the sound forever; it was so soft and smooth, like silk.

"I doubt that you can break my neck," she replied with another sweet smile. "But even so, I looked into your eyes, and saw your character. You could never bring yourself to strike me."

Hiccup did not reply, but he knew it was true.

"Shall we go in, Riddari Hiccup?" She asked.

Hiccup bowed. "I am still terribly confused, but please, lead the way."

The girl, favored him once more with a smile, took him by the elbow, and led him up to the golden gates. The guards, in one synchronized move, banged their spears against the metal. The doors opened to the knock, revealing a stunningly beautiful throne room. Hiccup gasped in awe as the girl led him in. The ceiling was golden, while the walls were made of pearls. Golden statues with marble bases ran alongside either wall, showing glorious depictions of the gods. Glancing towards his feet, Hiccup saw that the floor was covered with a regal purple carpet. Raising his head, he looked up and stopped in his tracks. Directly before him stood a long stairway of pure gold, which led up to a large golden dais. Atop this was a golden throne. On the throne sat an enormous man-like being, who was flanked by two large guards. Above the throne, on the wall, there shone a bright light which looked like the sun itself. Hiccup gasped in shock, immediately stopping in his tracks.

The man on the throne, although he was too high for Hiccup to clearly see, looked angry and disgusted. One of his eyes was covered by a golden patch, and he had a massive spear draped across his knees.

The girl spoke, making her voice clear enough for the man to hear. "My Master, this is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, Son of Stoick the Vast, Heir to the throne of Berk, and Riddari of Midgard."

She turned to Hiccup.

"Riddari Hiccup, you are in the presence of the Wielder of Gungnir, Father of Thor, Lord of the Aesir and Ruler of Asgard, the God Odin, the Allfather."

**Riddari means 'rider' in Old Norse. This will be explained in the next chapter.**


	6. a hero?

Chapter 6: A Hero?

High Asgard, Day 4 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup flung himself to the floor, covering his eyes with his hands. The red carpeting was deep and soft, and Hiccup was content to remain on his face. It was said that any Viking that laid eyes on Odin were blinded immediately, and even though he had already seen the God, he was not about to take a second chance. A voice boomed from the throne above.

"Get the boy up."

Hiccup trembled in fear. The God's voice alone bespoke the embodiment of power and authority. Listening to it made Hiccup fell as small and weak as a beetle.

The strange girl reached down and grabbed his arm. With way more strength than she should have possessed, she hauled Hiccup to his feet. Hiccup still held his hand over his eyes, his heart pumping wildly. This can't be Odin, he thought. No Viking was allowed to see Odin unless he was deceased, and Hiccup was sure that he was not dead, at least, not yet.

The girl yanked his hand away from his eyes. "Open your eyes, Riddari," she laughed. "You shall not be blinded, you idiot."

Even an insult from the purple-eyed girl sounded sweet and childlike. Regardless, it calmed Hiccup's nerves, and he mustered the courage to open his eyes and look up at the God above him.

The man on the throne most certainly WAS Odin. He was an enormous size, Hiccup now realized, and the golden spear draped across his knees could be nothing other than the legendary weapon Gungnir. His regal garments were unlike any fabric Hiccup had ever seen in his life. And his golden crown and eye patch were also compatible with the old tales.

Odin did not look pleased to see Hiccup. Instead, the look on his face was that of disgust and disdain.

"What is this?" He demanded angrily. "I was expecting a great warrior, a legend, one whom I could rely on, and instead I gotyou. A cripple. A weakling. A pathetic loser who cannot even look at me without trembling. Is this some kind of a joke?!"

The girl answered for him. "It is the Riddari, AllFather. And he knows absolutely nothing."

"She's right." Hiccup found his voice, which sounded weak and feeble in comparison to the God's. "I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Whoever you were expecting, I am not the one you want."

Odin looked confused. "You are the rider of the Night Fury?"

"Yes!" Hiccup shouted. "And what do you know about him? What have you done with my dragon?!"

"I ask the questions!" Odin roared, rising from his seat. "Do you know how long I have searched for you, fool? Do you know how many good soldiers I have lost trying to hunt you down, and after all my efforts, it turns out you are utterly useless!"

Hiccup stepped back in fear, but the girl grasped his arm comfortingly.

"AllFather, the Riddari is confused." Her sweet, musical voice seemed to calm Odin. "He must know what is happening before anything you say will have any import for him."

Odin nodded, dropping back into his chair with a groan. He was quiet for a full ten seconds, and then spoke. "There is much to inform you of, boy, but I have naught the patience to do so." He raised Gungnir and tapped the floor twice, making a dull boom each time. "I will call in a specialstorytellerfor you."

In a matter of two seconds, a door opened on Hiccup's left and a man entered. However, it was not just a man. This being was also huge, like Odin. He wore a helmet with massive horns, a cloak of red, and from his belt hung a giant hammer. Hiccup dropped to one knee.

"Thor," he whispered.

"True!" Thor laughed, walking up to Hiccup, acting as amiably as if they were old friends. "And you are the Riddari of Midgard, Hiccup Haddock."

"I do not know what Riddari means, my Lord," Hiccup whispered, still on his knee. Thor was continuing to approach him with a broad smile.

"Then you need to start reading Old Norse, my boy," Thor laughed, reaching Hiccup. Bending down, he lifted the boy to his feet. Placing his hands on Hiccup's shoulders, he looked into his eyes.

"You see, here on Asgard we have many titles reflecting the language," he explained. "And 'Riddari' is our name for Dragon Rider."

Hiccup nodded dumbly, astounded that a God would ever lower himself to actually touch him. It was surreal. Thor then threw his arms around Hiccup and lifted him into the air.

"At last," he said. "Our savior! I have dreamed of this day! You are a little skinny, perhaps, but we'll whip you into shape." He dropped Hiccup back to the floor, the metal leg making a dull thud through the carpet.

"You must be interested to know the fate of your dragon," Thor continued.

"Yes!" Hiccup exclaimed, forgetting the God. "And I need to know now! What happened to him?"

Thor laughed again. "A true Riddari you are, faithful to your dragon to the death. The Night Fury is alive, and safe. He was particularly enraged when we brought him here, desiring to know where you were. We were forced to sedate him to prevent him from killing our men. He is still asleep as we speak, but will awake soon. Fear not for your dragon."

"Thank Thor," Hiccup relaxed, then grinned. "Literally. Thank YOU."

Thor laughed another booming laugh. "Ahh, it is often amusing to look down on Midgard and hear people invoke my name whenever they spill a pan of milk or lose a chicken. I never have tired of the entertainment, fortunately."

Golden-clad soldiers had brought three golden chairs from apparently nowhere. They placed them behind each of the people at the base of the stairs.

Thor gestured, and they all sat down, Hiccup facing across from the God, and the girl right next to Hiccup.

"Would you please tell me why I was captured in the first place?" Hiccup asked, running his hand through his hair.

"We have been searching for you all over all the worlds for over ten years," Thor explained. "My Father, Odin, who sits above us, naturally assumed you would appear on Alfheim, or Jotunhiem, or any world hanging from Yggdrasil - except for Midgard! Only fools live in that realm, and we all thought it could not possibly be the birthplace of a hero! After all of our searches on other worlds proved fruitless, the killing of the Red Death occurred. This sparked much interest in Asgard, and my father finally had his seers inspect your world. Yesterday they finally discovered you."

"Wait, wait, wait," Hiccup said, holding up his hand. "Go slow. I am a hero?"

Thor laughed again, then looked at the girl.

"You were right," he said to her, thoroughly amused. "He knows absolutely nothing." Then he turned to the dais to face his father. "Can you have the prophecy read, father?"

Odin nodded, still apparently seething in disappointment. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a parchment, which he pointed at Hiccup.

"This fell from the branches of Yggdrasil over ten years ago." He stated icily. "A war was fought over it, and it cost Asgard thousands of lives to obtain it. However, it is now in our possession. It speaks of the troubles we are beginning to face, and how to rectify them."

Opening the old paper, he read aloud in a booming voice:

"From the gates of Hel rings evil's bell,

New power has been found in the deep.

A war shall rage, but not with blades,

But with the thoughts the Dragon's keep.

Despair shall beset Midgard, and many men shall fall.

But there is yet a hero, one to save them all.

From the darkness there comes a ray of hope,

But not in the way of light.

For the Black Rider shall come unto us,

With dragon dark as night.

Against the men of Midgard Hel's watchful hand gropes,

And the Rider atop the Night Fury will be their only hope."

Odin lowered the paper.

"Midgard is falling into chaos," Thor continued. "And it is Asgard's and the Aesir's responsibility to see that it survives. Because of this, and the prophecy, we have been desperately trying to find you."

"Wait, wait, wait," Hiccup said. "AmIthe one mentioned in that prophecy?"

"Of course," Thor said. "That is why we have labored so long to find you, Riddari."

"But it doesn't specifically say that it will be me," Hiccup argued. "It just says, 'The Black Rider' and a 'Night Fury.' It could be anyone who has a Night Fury!"

Thor shook his head. "You misheard. It did not say 'A' Night Fury. It said 'The' Night Fury."

Hiccup's jaw dropped. "Do you mean to say there is only ONE Night Fury?" He gasped.

Thor nodded. "Yes. There is only one, and he is yours, the dragon Toothless."

"That cannot be!" Hiccup shouted, jumping out of his seat. "Toothless and I have searched for months, listened to rumors, and hunted down entirely new species trying to find a mate for him. There has to be more! What of Toothless' parents? They had to be Night Furies! What happened to them?"

The girl next to Hiccup touched Hiccup's elbow. He turned to look at her.

"You know who Toothless' parents are," she said softly.

Hiccup stared. "No, I'm really quite sure that I don't."

"It was in that book, wasn't it?" She asked. "The first thing you ever read about Night Furies. What did it say?"

Hiccup stared, and then answered, still on his feet.

"It said, 'Speed: Unknown. Size: Unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this Dragon. Your only chance, hide and pray it does not find you.'" Hiccup paused.

Thor spoke again. "You never considered the description before, Riddari? 'The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself.'Surely that had to have given you a clue."

Hiccup's jaw dropped in shock. "What – what do you mean?" He stammered.

"Your dragon was not the offspring of another Night Fury." Thor stated gently.

"No." Hiccup said softly. "It cannot be. Toothless is a dragon, he can't be the son of -" he trailed off.

"Lightning and Death itself?" Thor finished. "From the standpoint of you mortals, you no doubt assumed that passage in the book was poetical nonsense, especially after you bonded with your dragon and discovered that everything written in it about dragon's character was a lie. But that particular description certainly should have stood out to you. How could anyone on Midgard have ever known that?"

Hiccup sat heavily in his chair, his head drooping on his breast.

Thor went on. "The answer is, they didn't. The Gods did, and they had that passage written. That sentence, from a God's standpoint, make perfect sense. Lightning and Death. Who are the Gods of lightning and death?"

Hiccup didn't answer. He was too torn up 's impossible, Hiccup thought.

"Let me tell you story of Toothless' ancestors," Thor said. Hiccup looked up at the God, sad but hopeful.

"Long ago," Thor began, "before there were any Vikings on Midgard at all, we had a God of Storms and Lightning. We called him the Thunderbird."

No reply came from Hiccup.

"The Thunderbird was a fine God, one of the best to fly the skies. He commanded his powers justly and well. Yet, one time he landed on Asgard and laid eyes on the Goddess of Death, Freyja. Despite being a bird, he was entranced with her beauty and fell in love with her, and she with him. But such a match was sacrilegious, even for the gods. Freyja and the Thunderbird could never marry lawfully."

Thor paused for effect.

"But their passion got the better of them, and they married in secret. Only when Freyja became pregnant with a child did the other Gods find out. All were infuriated that their laws had been disdained, including my father. In his rage he wanted to destroy the Thunderbird for his misdeed. But the beast was fully repentant and my father forgave him. Despite this, the Thunderbird could not go unpunished. But instead of death, my father banished him to a far Western land, where he is God of nothing now, except a few natives in the area.

It was my father's wish to penalize Freyja also, to banish her and kill her unborn child. But her brother Freyr implored my father to spare the babe. He agreed, but Lofn, the God of Forbidden loves, cursed Freyja's unborn child without my father's knowledge. He cursed it to be the vilest demon ever seen, to match the horror of her crime.

Eventually Freyja gave birth, and the result was horrific. The child had a man's body with the head of a bird and ugly bat shaped wings. His fingers were claws, and he was scaled and shadowy. Filled with disgust upon seeing the demon, Freyja's brother, Freyr, drew his sword and slew the creature on the spot. Its blood pooled into two black balls, which Freyr tried to destroy but couldn't. So he took them and tried to fling them into Niflhiem, the underworld, desperately trying to rid himself of the monster.

However, his anger caused his aim to be awry. One landed in Niflheim, but the other missed, vanished somewhere in the branches of Yggdrasil, and landed on one of the worlds, no one knew which. However, these were no mere balls, however. No. They were eggs."

A tear trickled down Hiccups cheek. There were no more Night Furies. Toothless' search for a mate was over.

"The egg that vanished sat untouched on Midgard for thousands of years, no one ever discovering it, until one day it must have hatched."

Thor paused intensely.

"And it became the Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death itself, the Night Fury."

Hiccup put his face in his hands and wept, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably. "I'm sorry, bud," he whispered. "You can't ever find a mate. All is lost. I tried to give you hope, and I failed you."

The girl placed her hand on Hiccup's shoulder, soothing him. "All will be well," she said softly. "We do not yet know if the Night Fury can breed with certain types of dragon. There are so many which you have not yet seen. There is still hope for your friend."

Her voice alone was enough to calm Hiccup, and her touch was enough to make him cast away his grief entirely. Hiccup raised his head once more. "What of the other egg?" He demanded eagerly. "Did it not hatch another Night Fury?"

Thor frowned. "If only it had. That egg hatched in Niflheim almost immediately after it landed there. From it emerged a black, three headed beast that the Goddess of Niflheim, Hel, shattered and broke down until it submitted to her will. In the process she chopped off one of its heads. It grew two more in its place, and showed us all that it was a Hydra, a ferocious beast of legend, undefeatable. Fortunately it is still imprisoned in Niflheim, unable to exit, like the rest of the dead. But that may change soon."

"What do you mean?" Hiccup demanded.

Thor smiled. "That is another story," he said. "But one that you may know about. Throughout your entire childhood, your tribe was at war with the dragons. Why?"

"Because a Queen, the Red Death, forced her subjects to bring her food," Hiccup replied instantly. "They raided our island, and we were forced to fight them to stay alive."

"Of course," Thor answered. "Why, though, do you suppose the Red Death had her dragons do that?"

"Because she was - lazy? Hiccup answered warily. "I don't know."

"No," Thor answered. "She was under the mind control of Hel, Goddess of Niflheim. Twenty years ago, she, with the help of my corrupt brother Loki, used the power of her deceased subjects in an attempt to control all the Alpha class dragons, one by one. The Red Death was doing as commanded by Hel, ordering her dragons to attack villages and steal food, causing the deaths of many Vikings, giving Hel more soldiers in her army of the dead. Over time, Hel managed to gain control of six of the ten Alpha class Dragons on Midgard, causing havoc all over the world, the kind of which you saw on your island."

Hiccup recalled his mother, and how she had been taken by dragons when he was a baby. His hands tightened on the arms of his chair.

Thor paused to grin.

"However, now Hel only has five Alphas. You killed the Red Death last year, taking away a huge part of her strategy, and that set off a hurricane in both Niflheim and our great city of Asgard. It is almost impossible to kill an Alpha class dragon without being an Alpha itself, and the existence of such an Alpha would most likely mean the Night Fury. Both Hel and my father have been searching for the Night Fury on Midgard ever since, and it was only because it was so much smaller than expected that it took us so long."

"What of the Alphas that are not yet controlled?" Hiccup asked. "And why did it take Hel so long to do it?"

"There are four Alphas left untouched," Thor replied. "One seems to be impervious to mental attacks, we know not why, another already has its mind corrupted by some Viking madman named Drago Bludvist, the third has yet to fall but no doubt will, and the last is Toothless."

Hiccup gawked. "Toothless is an Alpha class dragon?"

"You bet," Thor replied with a broad smile. "He has all the necessary capabilities, and based on his lineage, it makes perfect sense."

Hiccup leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm way is this real, he must be a dream, or else I'm going a deep breath, he leaned forward and asked Thor, "So let me get this straight. Toothless is, in fact, the offspring of two disobedient rogue Gods, has a brother in the depths of Niflheim christened the Hydra, is the smallest Alpha class dragon on record, doesn't command any dragons, and it is stated in a prophecy that he is a vital instrument in saving the entirety of Midgard? And that I, as his rider, am to become the only man who can give any hope whatsoever to mankind?"

"I – guess that is correct," Thor laughed.

"And I was kidnapped and brought here in order to become that hero?" Hiccup demanded. "You know, you could have just – maybe – asked."

Thor grimaced. "We transport people from world to world using a magical device called BiFrost. It is like a bridge of light. However, it takes enormous amounts of magic to use it, and sending someone down to speak with you first was not an option."

"I don't believe it," Hiccup said. "Of all the people on Midgard, why me? I'm a cripple. I can't use a sword at all. I'm weak. I'm skinny. I'm no hero! I just want to go home and go to sleep." Hiccup rose. "This is insane. All right, I don't care how much dumb magic it takes to use that BiFrost thing, just turn it on and send me right back! No fighting crazy ladies in the depths of Niflhiem for me, thank you very much! Just give me my dragon back and send me out of here at once!"

Thor sat silently through Hiccup's tirade. When Hiccup finished, he spoke, his voice very quiet.

"If that is your desire, we will not keep you a captive here. We will have done our job to try and convince you, and that is enough to satisfy our responsibilities to your world, Midgard. However, allow me to point out that if you do return without the proper training, Hel will find you, take control of Toothless, and you shall die and become Hel's servant, along with everyone else in Midgard. Would you turn your back on your people! Would you abandon your tribe, your family, your dragons, to a fate worse than death?!"

The silence was absolute. Hiccup did not reply.

"Would you cause the death of Astrid?" The girl next to him asked softly.

Hiccup froze. "How do you know her?" he demanded, whirling on the girl.

"It matters not," she replied. "Would you abandon her to torture and death?"

Hiccup clenched his fists and unclenched them. The he sighed.

"No. I cannot."

The girl nodded, then took his hand, looking him in the eyes. "Then do what you were destined to do."

Hiccup groaned, and carefully sat back down. The girl kept hold of his hand.

"Riddari Hiccup, what is your answer?" Odin demanded, rising from his chair, his voice echoing like a thunderclap.

Hiccup was silent for a full minute, then rose to his full height, letting the girl's hand fall.

"I need to confer with Toothless," he said. "I do not know whether to trust you or not, and I want his opinion. This is as much his choice as much as it is mine. I need to see him NOW."

Thor turned to look at his father. Odin nodded. "He should be awake by now. Go, Riddari, but make haste. We have waited for you for twenty years, and you need some serious training if you are EVER going to save Midgard from Hel. Go and hold council with your dragon, but make haste."

Hiccup turned to the girl. "Can you show me the way?" He asked her.

She smiled, rising to her feet. "Of course, Riddari." She turned and bowed to the Gods. "I will ensure that Riddari Hiccup returns as soon as possible."

She took his elbow and turned him back towards the large golden doors that he had entered from. They closed behind him with a bang.

South Berk, Day 4 since Hiccup's Departure

"Sail Ho!"

At the sound of the hail, Astrid snapped awake. Leaping down off her roost on a sea stack, she whistled for her dragon.

"Stormfly!" she called. "We need to go!"

Her Nadder charged over to her, allowing Astrid to spring onto her back with practiced ease.

"Let's go, girl!" she shouted. "If that sail isn't friendly we've got to warn the tribe!"

Stormfly spread her wings and dived into the air, swooping down at Berk's scouting boat, which was moored a mile off shore. Bucket and Mulch, two true but simple-minded Vikings, were bellowing the report to her.

"Sail, Astrid! Sail to the east! We can't tell if it's an enemy or not!"

"Got it," Astrid shouted as she flew by. "I'm going to check it out!" Stormfly rose in the air so they could get a better look at the boat. Stormfly squawked at Astrid.

"I know, girl. I think it's friendly too. Dagur or Alvin would never send only one boat to attack us. My question is, what tribe is it?"

Stormfly was quickly approaching the mysterious ship. Astrid pulled out a spyglass, which Hiccup had made, and looked through it at their target.

"I don't know the flag," Astrid announced. "But I think they've seen us, and they're not getting any weapons ready. Let's get closer and find out who they are."

Stormfly squawked in reply, and angled herself downward towards the boat. Just in case, Astrid pulled her axe from her back and laid it across her lap, ready to use it if need be.

The people on board had definitely seen Stormfly now. They shouted, but with pleasure, not fear, as Stormfly thundered down to the boat's deck, landing on it with a thud. Vikings quickly surrounded the dragon, pointing and whispering in awe.

"Can I speak with the Captain of this vessel?" Astrid demanded. "You are in Berkian waters, and your purpose and destination is required by our chief."

A girl with black hair and green eyes stepped forward from the crowd smiling. "Astrid?" She asked, looking closely at the dragon rider.

Astrid was so surprised she almost dropped her axe. "Heather!" she exclaimed.

**Yggdrasil – A tree on which the worlds hang.**

**Asgard – Home of the Aesir Gods, and the AllFather Odin.**

**Niflheim – The Viking underworld.**

**Alfheim – Home of the elves.**

**BiFrost – Connection between the worlds of Yggdrasil.**


	7. choices

Chapter 7: Choices

Low Asgard, Day 4 since Hiccup's Departure

"So it's back down to the dungeons for me?" Hiccup asked jokingly, as the guards opened the massive stone door that he had entered from that morning. "And now that I know I am in the hands of Gods, I would have thought my arrival would be a little less unpleasant."

The girl smiled, her bare feet padding along the stone floor as she led him down the hall.

"At the time," she said, "Odin had no idea you were so utterly harmless, especially after the performance of your dragon. Toothless was, shall we say,most unhappywhen he discovered you were not with him."

"I want to see him," Hiccup demanded. "Which one of these cells is he in?"

"None of them," the girl answered, as she led him to another door. "We needed a stronger cell for him, and because of that he's down even lower."

She began to lead Hiccup down a flight of stairs.

"What do mean, lower down?" Hiccup demanded. "What level are we on now?"

"The highest," the girl responded. "The deeper into the dungeons you go, the stronger the cells. Odin took no chances with Toothless; he is on the lowest section."

Two guards opened a door for them, and Hiccup entered a wide hallway. The prisons on this level looked like they were completely insecure. Hiccup could see directly into the cells through a wide clear sheet of what looked like glass.

"This doesn't look very safe to me," Hiccup remarked, glancing into two of the cells as he passed. Both were empty.

"The clear wall," the girl replied, "is not glass. It is made entirely of raw energy, creating a barrier so strong nothing can penetrate it. These chambers can only be opened by Odin himself. He has already unlocked Toothless' cell so that you can access it. Here is the door."

She gestured to small door, which was right beside a large clear panel. Looking in, Hiccup saw Toothless sitting upright in the cell. The dragon saw his rider and leapt to the clear window, pawing at it.

"I'm coming, bud!" Hiccup shouted. "Just a minute!"

He sprang to the door, opening it. The girl grasped his arm.

"Wait!" she cried.

Hiccup looked at her, his hand still on the knob.

"Make the right decision in there," she said urgently. "Don't become Useless again."

Berk, Day 4 since Hiccup's Departure

"Heather, what a surprise!" Astrid cried out, sliding off Stormfly and embracing her friend. "I barely recognized you! How have you been?"

"Really good, ever since you guys rescued me from Alvin," Heather smiled. "Life's been so perfect I felt like a vacation, and when I got a message for Hiccup I thought I'd come."

"What's that?" Astrid asked. "A message?"

"Some boy on my island gave me this," Heather said, pulling a sealed scroll from her bag. The two Vikings stood on Berk's dock, Astrid having asked Stormfly to tow the boat to harbor. Now the entire ship was being unloaded with supplies that they hoped to trade over the course of a week or two on Berk.

"What is it?" Astrid queried, taking the parchment. It bore a strange seal, coated in red and stamped with a Night Fury's head.

"It's for Hiccup," Heather said. "Where is he? It's extremely important, and he needs to get it immediately."

Astrid frowned. "That's the thing. He's not here."

"What?" Heather asked, her eyes widening.

"He's not here right now," Astrid repeated. "He is on Bog Burglar Island. If it's only for his eyes, then we'll have to wait about a week, maybe more, for him to return."

Heather looked pale, then recovered. "I – it is only for Hiccup," she stammered. "Is – is there a way we can send it to him by tomorrow? It has to be opened by then. The deliverer was very specific."

"Who sent it?" Astrid demanded. "This seal on the front – it's a Night Fury. Who knows Toothless that would be so secretive about a message?"

Heather shrugged. "A boy brought it to my door thirteen days ago. My parents answered, and he asked for Heather. I was called to the door. He asked me if I knew of a Night Fury. I asked him why he wanted to know. He said his master heard that I knew the Night Fury's rider. I told him I did. Then he handed me this. He said that his master had given him explicit instructions that this message was to be delivered directly to the Rider of the Night Fury, in person, in thirteen days, or else the message in it would be meaningless. I promised I would, and then asked him who his master was. He ran away without answering. I had never seen him before."

"Thirteen days?" Astrid queried, still turning the scroll over in her hands. "And that was thirteen days ago, you said?"

Heather nodded.

"That leaves us till today to get it to him," Astrid moaned. "And it's a three day flight to the Bog."

Heather shook her head. "Why I had so little time I have no idea."

"Well, it's impossible to get it to him by tonight," Astrid said.

Heather reached out and took the scroll. "I guess we should just get rid of it, then," she suggested. "Even though I'm really curious as to why it was so under the table."

She put it back in her bag.

"Well, don't destroy it yet, at least," Astrid argued. "Maybe Hiccup got utterly rejected by the Boggies and is flying back as we speak. I half hope so."

Heather gave Astrid a sly look. "Still together?" she asked.

Astrid reddened. "I – we're still – yeah, we're together. It's – just -"

"So I'm not allowed to touch him once he gets back?"

Astrid scowled. "NO."

Heather laughed. "Fine. He's all yours. I won't bother him."

Astrid smiled. "You've still got Snotlout."

Heather burst out laughing.

"Snotlout?" She gasped. "Really, Astrid?"

Astrid threw her arm around Heather. "I was just kidding you," she laughed. "But really, Snotlout will be all over you now that you're back. Of course he hasn't found a girl that likes him yet."

Heather shook her head. "Maybe that'll make me want to leave sooner."

Astrid shook with laughter. "I hope you won't. It's been a long time."

Low Asgard, Day 4 since Hiccup's Departure

"And that is what I was going while I was gone, bud." Hiccup said, still walking around Toothless' cell and waving his arms. "Just like that, I was told that I am supposedly the hero of Midgard, destined to save the world, and that you -" Hiccup paused, looking at the dragon.

Toothless cocked his head at Hiccup and warbled.

"Listen, bud," Hiccup whispered, stepping up to his dragon. "I also learned that – that – you're the only Night Fury in existence."

Toothless' eyes snapped wider than Hiccup had ever seen them go before. They seemed to dance crazily around in his skull as a thousand emotions flashed through the dragon's head.

"Toothless!" Hiccup shouted. "Bud, are you OK?"

Toothless didn't reply. He only sat utterly still, his eyes still twirling about.

"Bud!" Hiccup shouted. "What's going on?"

Toothless let out a sad roar, and drooped his head down to the floor. Then he relaxed his whole body and laid down, motionless.

"Listen, bud," Hiccup whispered, going to sit next to his dragon's head, and placing his hand on it. "I know you're sad, but we haven't looked everywhere. There's still a chance that you can find a non-Night Fury mate. And I also learned that you have a crazy, evil brother."

Toothless warbled sadly.

"Yeah, bud, and he's in Niflheim. He's nothing like you, though. He's got a whole bunch of heads, and he regrows two more when you chop one off. That's pretty crazy, Toothless."

Still a sad response.

"And bud, guess what? You're an Alpha."

Toothless opened one eye and looked at his rider.

"An Alpha, Toothless! And you're so important Gods have been trying to hunt you down for ten years."

Toothless warbled and then chuckled a dragon laugh.

"Yep, bud," Hiccup replied, sitting down and leaning back against his scaled friend. "They didn't do a very good job, but they did get us. Which brings me to my question, which we both need to ponder thoroughly; do we stay or do we leave?"

Toothless grunted.

"If we stay, bud, then we will have to be trained, probably fight demons, other dragons, evil creatures, and in the end will most likely travel to Niflheim in order to save Berk and all of Midgard. If we leave, Hel will find us, take over your mind, kill me, and Midgard will fall."

Toothless nudged Hiccup.

"Yeah, bud, it's pretty obvious when I say it like that, huh?" Hiccup replied. "But what if they're lying? Even though everything they've said has made sense so far, if we accept their invitation, we'll be trusting them with everything! Our lives, our futures, and I might not be able to see Astrid again for years."

Hiccup paused. "But if we leave," he whispered, "And what they say IS true, I'll never forgive myself. I'll lose everything I hold dear – you, Astrid, my dad, my tribe – and I can't let that happen. And now there's this blasted little girl that knows EVERYTHING about me! Bud, we – we have to stay."

Toothless was quiet for a minute, and then growled his assent.

"All right, bud!" Hiccup shouted, leaping to his feet and drawing a fake sword as he danced around the cell. "We shall be heroes of Midgard, you and I, and we will fight to the death to preserve our homeland! Let's go tell Odin!"

Leaping to the door, he flung it open and stepped out.

"Hey, crazy purple-eyed little girl!" he shouted. "Tell Odin to turn off the energy shield on this blasted cage! We're going back up to see him."

The girl, having turned to look at him, smiled. "You have decided to stay?"

Hiccup grinned back. "Yes, we have."

The girl clapped her hands. "I knew it!" she cried. "I will inform Odin you wish to have the cell opened." She ran off, her white aura casting flickers of light as she moved.

Hiccup turned to go back to his dragon, and then something odd caught his eye.

A lone man was standing at the energy barrier of the cell across from Toothless, which Hiccup had thought was vacant when he entered. The man was tall, fairly thin, with straight, flowing black hair that fell over his shoulders. Dressed in regal garments of green and gold, he looked like he belonged in a palace, not a dungeon. He was looking directly at Hiccup, with a sad smile on his thin face. He had green eyes that were so similar to Hiccup's that Hiccup could not help but stare, focusing on the eyes.

Slowly the man began to transform, Hiccup still maintaining his gaze at the man's remarkable green eyes. Then Hiccup realized he was now looking at a reflection of himself in the energy barrier. He blinked in amazement, and then the entire image vanished, leaving the cell completely empty.

That's odd,Hiccup thought to himself.But then again, everything's creepy around here.

Then there was a hiss, and the energy barrier across Toothless' cell vanished. The Night Fury leapt out, skidding across the tiles of the dungeon floor.

"All right, bud!" Hiccup laughed. "Now let's go try and find that throne room again. I need to talk with the King of the Gods!"

Berk, Day 4 since Hiccup's Departure

"Here's to Heather, and a thanks to Odin for her safe journey!" Stoick boomed.

The Vikings all downed their mugs in one gulp, and, slamming their cups on the table, began to become noisy and boisterous, gobbling down food and guzzling ale in a typical Viking style.

Heather was sitting in the middle of a crowd of attentive Vikings. Astrid was on the bench next to her, and was trying to have an actual conversation with her friend. However, the other company at the table was simply not making it possible.

"Heather, have you trained a dragon yet?" Snotlout demanded eagerly, leaning towards her.

"No, Snotlout, I never did," Heather replied. "On my island there aren't many dragons, and I couldn't find one that I felt like I could bond with."

"No problem!" Snotlout laughed. He was already quite drunk, and his behavior showed it. "I can take you flying on Hookfang any time! You want to go right now?"

"No!" Tuffnut shouted. "You can take my sister's spot on Barf! I really, really need a new driver on that head!"

"Shut up, dung brain," Ruffnut growled, shoving her nose into her brother's face. "You're the one who blew up Ingmar's house last week!"

"No, you blew the gas!" Tuffnut shouted, shoving Ruffnut back. "All I did was light a tiny little spark!"

Ruffnut tackled her brother off of the bench, and they began to wrestle on the floor.

"Not much has changed, I see," Heather laughed, addressing Astrid.

"Sadly not," Astrid sighed. "The twins are still muttonheads, Snotlout's still a dummy, and Fishlegs" – she pointed across the Great Hall, where the fat boy had his nose buried in a book – "Is still Fishlegs."

"I'm not a dummy, babe," Snotlout mumbled from his tankard of mead. "Heather knows that, don't you?"

He turned to the raven-haired girl.

"I'm afraid Astrid is right, Snotlout," Heather laughed. "You're still a dummy."

Astrid's glance fell on Heather's bag as Snotlout tried a pathetic attempt to argue with the black haired girl. She was keeping it protectively close to her on the bench, and out of the top Astrid could see the sealed scroll, which had the distinctive Night Fury emblem stamped on it. She frowned in recollection. Whatever that message contained must be incredibly important, and Hiccup would never be able to see it by the appointed time, which was tonight. She was terribly curious. Who was writing to Hiccup in a method that required a Night Fury stamp?

Her head began to spin with all the thinking she was doing. The mead had already began to work its way into her mental processes. Sighing, she rose.

"Where are you going?" Heather asked imploringly, grabbing her arm. "Don't leave me alone with these morons, I beg of you."

"I'm just going to get some fresh air," Astrid replied. "My head is starting to spin."

"Astrid –c-c-can't hold her liquor," Snotlout burped, trying to rise. "She needs to learn how to get d-d-drunk properly."

He fell onto the floor, unconscious.

"Well, that takes care of him," Astrid joked, turning to the door. "I'll be back soon, don't worry!"

She left the noise and chatter of the Great Hall and walked out into the cool dark air, leaving the chaos behind her. Walking slowly down the steps she turned towards the forest and reached a side table with a basin of water on it. Dipping her hands into the cool liquid, she splashed her face with it, trying to wake herself up.

Leaning on the table, she tried to think properly about the strange Night Fury seal. If that letter was in fact for Hiccup, then he should know its contents regardless of whether or not the message reached him on time. And since it was not going to, why not open it and find out why it needed to reach him by the date specified? Maybe it was business she could take care of for him. After all, she was terribly bored on the island without Hiccup to have fun with.

Sighing, she stared into the water in the bowl. As she looked, the calm ripples in the water changed, and became raging waves that peaked and crashed back down again. Falling into it was the mangled body of Toothless.

Astrid gasped, leaning closer to the water. Her view changed, as Stormfly adjusted her flight, trying to catch the man flying with one arm in his flight suit, directly towards a black hole of death. Struggling not to scream, Astrid witnessed the crash once more. Stormfly caught Hiccup right before the Abyss, and once more Hiccup was flung from her claws, falling into the Abyss.

"Hiccup!" Astrid shouted, clutching the edges of the bowl. The images faded, and became nothing but calm wrinkles in a simple bowl of water.

"Astrid?" Someone asked.

"Hyaahh!" Astrid spun around, pulling her axe from her back and facing the person behind her.

"Whoa, don't kill me, Astrid!" Heather joked, raising her hands. "I didn't mean to startle you or anything, but you seemed pretty out of it. Did you drink too much?"

"No," Astrid sighed, replacing her axe. "I just – I've been having strange visions."

"You called out for Hiccup," Heather said, walking up to Astrid. She had her satchel slung across her shoulders. The scroll was still sticking out of a pouch, reminding Astrid that it was still there.

"What happened?" Heather asked, concerned. "You look pale as death."

"This – this is the third time it's happened," Astrid said, rubbing her eyes. "I have an ongoing dream where Hiccup and I are fighting in a battle and Toothless is shot down and killed. Then Hiccup falls into an Abyss right before my eyes. It's so realistic that I'm afraid it'll actually happen."

"It might," Heather replied seriously. "I've heard of people getting visions like that before. Rumors say that consistent hallucinations are usually accurate. You should talk to a village elder."

Astrid nodded. "I will if it happens again."

Heather smiled. "Good. And I don't blame you for wanting to get outside. What a bunch of losers in there. Congratulations for being with Hiccup, by the way. He's a really cool guy. I'm going to stay until he gets back so I can thank him again for what he did for me and my family."

"How are they?" Astrid asked, dipping her hand in the basin of water and swirling it. "Your family, I mean."

"They're fine." Heather plowed a hand through her black hair. "It took them a little while to get back to normal after the episode, but after that phase everything's been perfect."

Astrid nodded. "That's good. Being Alvin's prisoner for even a little bit might be a hard thing to forget. Where are you staying while you're here, Heather?"

"I'm putting up at the guest hall with the rest of my people," Heather sighed. "And I really should go get the best spot and go to sleep before they all come back drunk as posts."

"They won't come," Astrid grinned. "They'll all be asleep on the floor of the Great Hall tomorrow morning, mark my words."

"I guess that's good," Heather laughed. "I won't have to listen to the snoring."

Astrid joined her in laughing. "If you want, come by my house anytime," Astrid said. "It'll be really nice talking to someone my age who actually understands what I'm saying."

"I will," Heather promised.

She turned to leave. As she did so, the mysterious scroll fell from the bag she carried, and rustled softly on the hard ground. Astrid saw it, was about to tell Heather, and then changed her mind. Heather vanished in the gloom of the village.

Crouching down, Astrid picked up the scroll, turning it over to look at the seal. The stamp had a very good picture of Toothless, she now noticed. Making up her mind, Astrid put the scroll in her own satchel and went to her house. Slamming the door, she entered the bedroom she shared with her little sister and lit a candle.

Then, with shaking fingers, she broke the seal and unrolled the scroll.

It was a message, just as Heather had said, and it was written with handwriting so pristine it could rival Fishlegs'. It also appeared to be written in blood, as the letters were red and dark. Poring over the paper, Astrid read;

Riddari of the Night Fury,

This message is to be imparted to no one but yourself. Contained in this letter are facts that I would not ever like known to anyone, and it is only through circumstances that you are receiving this information at all. Only if you bear the name Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, rider of the Dragon Toothless, may you continue reading.

Astrid disregarded the warning, and continued to read.

Riddari Hiccup,

It is with the greatest pleasure that I learned of your dragon's existence. At first I could not believe that the rumors I heard were true, but soon it became apparent through the deliverer of this message that the supposed legend of the Night Fury did, in fact, exist. This information greatly excited me, for I, being a rider myself, am in possession of a dragon that I have reason to believe is thebrother of the Night Furyyou currently ride, whose name, I have heard, is Toothless. I desire a meeting between us, or shall I say, our dragons, but it is impossible that the arrangement be public. The circumstances of my dragon are such that he will most likely be shot down on sight, regardless of any peace with dragons that I hear your island possesses. Therefore I request that you meet me on the top ofBadmist Mountain, unaccompanied, atmidnight thirteen days from now, where I can show you why I had to be so secretive and can also show you the brother of your dragon.

Once more, this information is to be communicated to absolutely no one else.

A Fellow Riddari

Astrid put the letter down, her heart pounding. The brother of Toothless! Hiccup had been looking for a mate for his Night Fury ever since their first Snoggletog with the dragons. He would never, ever miss an opportunity like this to meet one of Toothless' family. But what if it was simply a trap? This would be exactly the kind of stunt Dagur would pull, making Hiccup travel alone to Badmist Mountain at midnight. However, considering the circumstances, Astrid had to discard this theory, for three reasons.

One, the top of Badmist Mountain was impossible to access except by flying a dragon. So if an enemy wished to capture or kill Hiccup and Toothless, they would have to get up there by flying a dragon themselves, and neither Alvin nor Dagur had managed to train a dragon yet.

Second, if the message was intended simply to lure Hiccup away so he could be shot down away from the village, then the writer was a fool. Shooting down Toothless at midnight, when it was utterly dark outside, would be next to impossible. Besides, there would be a thousand simpler ways to do it than this complicated message.

And third, if it was Alvin or Dagur, neither would send the note through Heather. Even if they did, after realizing that Hiccup had gone to the Bog, they would immediately confiscate it before allowing anyone to see the contents.

And, merely as a bonus point, the writing was too good to have been written by any Beserker or Outcast. This left Astrid with the conclusion that the writer was either someone else wanting to kill Hiccup, or the writer, was in fact, genuine.

Astrid made up her mind. The meeting was scheduled for that night, and she would go herself. If the communicator of the message was angry that Toothless or Hiccup was not there, then she would probably be able to explain.

And it was past eleven o'clock.

Seizing the message, Astrid rammed it into a satchel. Removing two long throwing knives from under her pillow, she buckled them to her belt. Slipping on her riding mask and gloves, she realized she wanted a less conspicuous outfit to match the surroundings. If the one she was to meet was hostile, it would help to be in disguise. Thinking back, she recalled that Hiccup kept a full length black cloak in his room back at the chief's house. She needed it. Grabbing a piece of char from the ashes of the fireplace, Astrid scrawled a message for her parents on a piece of paper in case she went missing after this daring excursion.

Tossing the note on her bed and slipping out of her front door, Astrid whistled for Stormfly. The dragon, asleep in her stable, awoke immediately at the call. Bursting out of her sleeping area, Stormfly leapt to her rider's side.

"Late notice mission, Stormfly," Astrid whispered. "And it might be incredibly dangerous. We've got to be absolutely quiet until we're out of the village. First stop, Hiccup's house."

She leapt up into the saddle of her dragon. Silent as a ghost, Stormfly swooped up into the air and sped on the short journey above the deserted village to Hiccup's abode. Landing softly on the roof, Astrid sprang off her dragon.

"Wait here," she whispered to Stormfly, and then tiptoed across the shingles on the rooftop to Toothless' sky door. Unclicking the latch and swinging over the edge, she dropped into Hiccup's room, landing on her fingers and toes.

"HOLY THOR!" someone screamed.

Jumping in surprise, Astrid whirled around. Sitting at Hiccup's desk, with papers thrown all over the place, was Fishlegs.

Odin damn that boy.

"What are you doing here?" Fishlegs squeaked. "Where are you going?"

"No – Nowhere," Astrid stammered. "I'm just going for a late night flight, and I wanted to get something from Hiccup's room."

She rose, flustered.

"Yeah, uhh, right," Fishlegs said sarcastically. "You might be able to fool Snotlout or the twins or even the chief with that excuse, but you really should know that you can't fool me. You're going somewhere, not just alate night flight. That's as lame as your boyfriend. What's going on?"

"None of your business," Astrid snapped, walking over to the hooks near Hiccup's bed where his dark black cloak was hanging. "What areyoudoing in here, anyways?"

"I am doing as Hiccup requested and organizing his hideous mess of papers up in this disgraceful workplace," Fishlegs answered meekly. "And I was doing perfectly fine until you dropped in like a hangover from the night before. Whereareyou going, Astrid?"

Astrid donned the black cloak. "Fishlegs, this is private business of Hiccup's," she answered. "It is not for fat snoops like you to know."

Fishlegs scowled at her insult, his lips curling upward, losing his meek behavior.

"Astrid, what's gotten into you?" He demanded angrily, leaning forward. "You've been acting like a mean little squirt ever since Hiccup left. How did you know how to get in from the roof, anyways? Have you been in the habit of sneaking into Hiccup's bedroom at this hour?"

Ouch.

Astrid threw the hood back from the cloak. Walking over to Fishlegs, she slammed one of her throwing knives into the table, less than an inch from his hand. He didn't flinch, and Astrid stared at him in shock. Ordinarily he would be cowering in fear right now.

"Astrid, I made Hiccup a promise," he said stiffly. "And Iwillkeep an eye on you, especially if you barge into his room late at night and begin taking his stuff. Hiccup's concern is your safety, and as such it ismyconcern. If you see fit to run off somewhere in the middle of the night, in order to satisfy my obligations to my friend, I may have to inform the chief!"

He stopped, sitting ramrod stiff in his chair. He then continued.

"And even if he's too drunk right now, I'll follow you myself.Where ARE you going?"

Astrid yanked her knife out of the table and sheathed it. "I'm sorry, Fish," she said apologetically. "I guess you're just doing as Hiccup asked. But as a friend of his, you'll understand why I'm doing this."

She tossed the scroll onto the table, and leapt up to the rafters. Then she hauled herself up to the sky door, where she hopped on Stormfly and whizzed towards Badmist Mountain.


	8. separation

Chapter 8: Separation

Badmist Mountain, North Berk, Day 4 since Hiccup's departure

All was deathly quiet except for the beating of Stormfly's wings as the dragon climbed steadily through the air towards Badmist Mountain. Encased in her black cloak which blended in perfectly with the dark night, Astrid felt for her two long knives at her waist and her axe across her back. Even if the message hadn't been a trap, the writer could be secretive enough to the point of where even if someone other than Toothless arrived he could get angry. And if it became a dragon fight, any brother of a Night Fury could destroy Astrid, especially at midnight.

So Astrid was ready to fight for her life.

Stormfly let out a quiet squawk, and then the peak of Badmist Mountain loomed ahead of them. Swallowing her fear of the unknown, Astrid guided Stormfly to the uttermost top of the mountain, where her dragon landed with a soft thump. No one was there, but Astrid was early.

"Stay away, Stormfly," Astrid whispered to her dragon. "When the person I am to meet arrives, he will immediately see you are not a Night Fury, and that may make him leave at once. So it's better if you hide. But if I whistle for you, then you'll have to come quick, because I'll probably be in trouble!"

Stormfly dipped her head in reply, and then dropped over the edge of the mountain, looking for a cave which Astrid knew existed just below the peak.

Letting out a deep breath, Astrid hugged the cloak tighter around her and looked down from the top of the mountain at the village below her.

She could see lights around and in the Great Hall, where the drunken feasting was still occurring. A few lights were lit in the village as well. One, Astrid noticed with amusement, was the light in Hiccup's bedroom. Fishlegs was still there, probably analyzing every syllable of that mysterious message. Astrid slightly regretted giving it to him; it would be nice to have evidence to present to the person she was to meet.

Just then she felt a blast of air, as if from a dragon's wings, except it was stronger than any dragon's gusts she had ever felt. Whirling around, she saw an enormous dragon, larger than any ever ridden on Berk, land on the flat a short distance away with a dull boom. It was too dark to determine what the dragon was.

And there was a rider on its back.

Astrid's hand slipped under her cloak to the handle of her axe, forcing herself to be calm, yet still terrified at the size of the beast. The rider on the dragon sat very still, and Astrid also made no movement, assuming she had not been sighted yet. The dragon took a few steps forward, coming almost directly up to Astrid. Then the unknown rider barked a command, and the dragon's huge mouth opened, allowing a cackle of lightning to illuminate the area. The dragon was a Skrill.

Astrid almost screamed in fear. The Skrill was impossible to train, ferociously deadly, and this particular one was large enough to gobble three Astrid's in one bite.

The rider saw Astrid immediately. He slid off the back of his Skrill, the dragon maintaining a flame in its mouth bright enough to keep the mountaintop lit. He stepped forward, and Astrid saw that he, too, was a massive size, at least three full feet taller than she was. He wore odd looking brown armor and a spiked brown helmet.

"Where is the Night Fury?" He hissed from beneath his mask, his voice as icy as death as he approached Astrid. "I need to see the Night Fury! Where is it?"

Astrid found her voice, but left her face and hands concealed in the cloak. She had noticed the long sword strapped to the strange rider's belt.

"The Night Fury is not on Berk at this time," she stated. "Neither is its rider, Hiccup Haddock. I have been charged to meet with you in his stead."

"What!" the rider roared, his voice going black. "The Night Fury is not here? Where is he?"

"Hiccup and the Night Fury have left Berk on tribal business," Astrid explained, stepping closer to the rider. "By the time we received your letter, it was too late to contact him. As his trusted companion, I decided to meet you in his stead, to discuss the contents of your letter."

The brown-clad rider was silent.

"I can assure you," Astrid continued, "that Hiccup would be most interested in meeting any relation of his Night Fury. Also, you must understand that I will be untrusting until your purpose is made clear. You said you would bring Toothless' brother. I demand to see him before I reveal anything more about Hiccup and his business."

The rider sneered. "That message was for no one but Hiccup alone. What right had you to open it, let alone read it?"

"I took the right," Astrid snarled back.

"Then you have forfeited your privileges to see the Night Fury's brother, you ignorant wench. By all rights I should kill you on the spot. You opened a letter written in blood and ignored my warning. The penalty is death."

"If you kill me," Astrid threatened, "then Hiccup will hunt you down and slaughter you. I am not an expendable personage to him, nor his dragon."

"He'd never find me," the rider hissed. "And as for you, I think you know too much, vixen. You must die." He whirled to the Skrill.

"Kill her!" he barked.

Astrid flung back her cloak, seizing her axe. Leaping forward, she avoided a hot streak of lightning fired by the Skrill just in time, as the flames struck the ground precisely where she had been. Spinning around, she whipped her axe towards the rider's head.

With ease, the man ducked under the blade and, quick as lightning, drew the long, thin sword from his belt. With inhuman speed, he slashed at Astrid, causing her to throw up her axe and scarcely block the blow in time. The sheer force of the attack jarred Astrid's arm, leaving her astonished. No one could move that fast. Before she had time to react, the man reversed his cut and slashed at her other side. Astrid barely parried the blow, but managed to counterattack with an upward hack at the rider's chest. He leaned back to avoid it, at the same time slicing his blade at Astrid's legs. She jumped, and it passed harmlessly underneath her.

Astrid realized now that she was hopelessly outmatched. This rider was faster, stronger, and more skilled with a blade than she was. But she also had to remain close to the man so that his dragon would be unable to kill her without hitting his rider. Neither option was desirable, as both would mean almost certain death. She had to get out of there.

Yanking one her long knives from her belt, she hurled it at the Skrill behind the man. It struck the dragon directly below its left eye, piercing the scales and getting buried to the handle in the flesh. While it was no killing blow, it was enough to distract the beast. Astrid ducked under another swipe of the rider's sword, turned around, and leapt over the edge of the mountainside, whistling desperately for Stormfly.

Her faithful dragon was right there to catch her. Astrid felt strong claws close around her while she was about halfway down the mountain.

"Good girl!" Astrid shouted. "Trees! Get to the trees! They won't be able to catch us down there!"

Stormfly angled down towards the forest, away from the strange rider behind her. Swooping low, the dragon passed under the branches of the low hanging pines. High above them, Astrid heard the Skrill shriek in frustration at their escape.

High Asgard, Day 4 since Hiccup's departure

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, you have made your decision to remain on Asgard and begin your preparation. Unfortunately for you, it is the last decision you will make on your own for the next three years. Anything pertinent to your training, your missions, your life, will from now on be made by ME. Is that clear, Riddari?"

"It is, AllFather," Hiccup replied. He was standing next to Toothless in Odin's large throne room, looking up at the God as he addressed them.

"I believe it is safe to say that you will not enjoy what I have planned for the both of you," Odin continued.

"Well, what could be involved in my training that is an easy task?" Hiccup asked.

Odin lifted the corner of his mouth in a rendition of a smile.

"I have had only one Riddari trained in Asgard before," he stated. "The first order I ever gave in his presence made him hate me unceasingly for the next year and a half. I have no doubt in my mind that this will also be the case today."

"I await your orders, AllFather," Hiccup replied, bracing himself for some kind of terrible regulation.

"This order is not directed to you, Riddari," Odin rebuked. "It is intended for your dragon, Toothless."

He turned to the Night Fury. "You, the dragon Toothless, by order of the AllFather, are to be transported by the BiFrost to Alfheim, where you shall be trained in aerial combat and maneuvers by the elves who live on that world. This is crucial to your personal instruction only, and therefore Hiccup shall NOT accompany you."

"What?!" Hiccup exploded, stepping forward. "You can't do that! Toothless and I are one package. We travel together, we fight together, and we live together. We intended to train together. You can't just send him away without me!"

"I told you that you would disprove of this order," Odin reminded Hiccup sternly. "I understand your complaint, but this action is necessary, and it will be carried out today, RIGHT NOW. Say goodbye to your dragon; you shall not see him for at least a year."

"Why so soon?" Hiccup demanded, both shocked and angry. "At least give us a few days! We just got here! Why do we have to begin so early?"

"Because you are a pathetic, weak, disgraceful excuse for a Dragon Rider!" Odin roared, rising from his throne and seizing Gungnir. "It is imperative that you change this characterization at once! I am embarrassed to even have someone as worthless as you in my service at all! I have lost all my patience with your protests, so-called Riddari. While you are on Asgard, my commands are the LAW, and you will obey them to theLETTER, UTTERLY AND WITHOUT QUESTION!Say farewell to your Night Fury, Riddari! I cannot believe so mighty a dragon chose one as dishonorable asyouto be his rider."

Hiccup, swallowing his objections, turned to Toothless.

"I'm going to miss you, bud," he whispered, stroking the dragon's nose. "But the legends say that the elves on Alfheim are all tall and beautiful. I think you'll be treated well."

Toothless warbled sadly.

"I know, bud," Hiccup replied, leaning his forehead against the Night Fury's. "I don't want you to go either. But sadly, Odin is right. I am a loser, I am weak, and must be trained thoroughly to be called worthy of Asgard. You need to train also. We must be the best if we are to save Midgard as prophesied."

Toothless licked Hiccup's face.

"Aww, bud!" Hiccup shouted, dodging away as the dragon covered his face with saliva. "That doesn't wash out! I was trying to clean my shirt before we left on this accursed mission, and it was so soiled with your nasty spittle that it wouldn't come clean! Stop it, bud!" Hiccup cried as he rolled away on the floor of Odin's throne room, Toothless chasing after him and licking him mercilessly.

"No! Stop it, bud!" Hiccup laughed, giving up trying to escape.

Toothless seized Hiccup between his teeth and lifted him to his feet, rumbling dragon laughter.

"Yeah, bud," Hiccup moaned, trying to wipe the saliva out of his eyes. "I hope it stains Odin's carpets, too."

"Time to go," Odin boomed from his throne, evidently displeased with their display of affection.

Hiccup embraced his friend. "Make sure they fix your tail properly, bud," he whispered. "Oil on all the rotating joints, and be sure that they keep the leather tight."

Toothless warbled sadly.

"You're my best friend, Toothless," Hiccup whispered.

A large door opened in the side of the throne room. It led to a long hallway.

"It is time, Night Fury," Odin said sternly. "Go, fulfill your destiny."

Hiccup released his dragon. Toothless looked deeply at Hiccup for a brief time, then turned and walked to the open doors. As he passed through, he turned and gave Hiccup one final glance. Then the doors closed with a boom.

Hiccup trembled. He had not expected this to be happening so fast. His dragon had just been stripped from him in less than five minutes of being under Odin's command. He already felt like a part of him was missing.

"Riddari Hiccup," Odin called.

Hiccup turned to face the God, tears in his eyes.

"You are also to begin your training at once. It is late in the day, so you will not accomplish much, but you can be introduced to your duties and informed how to proceed. From now on you are an apprentice of war. Outside the doors you will meet someone who will escort you to your training area."

"Yes, Allfather," Hiccup whispered. He turned to leave.

"Riddari!" Odin called. Hiccup turned to face the God once more.

Odin spoke again, his voice thick with contempt.

"Riddari, you are a useless, pathetic excuse for a man. It brings shame to all of Asgard that I should be training you at all. Know that it is only for my responsibility to Midgard, and not for your sake, that I am giving you a chance to be trained by the best. I hope never to lay eyes on you again until you have become a respectable representative of Asgard. You aredismissed."

Hiccup did not reply. He simply turned and walked out, the doors of Odin's throne room closing behind him with a bang.

"Do not be sad, Riddari," a sweet voice said.

Hiccup turned slowly to look at the beautiful little girl who was addressing him.

"Why should I not be sad?" he demanded angrily. "My dragon was just removed from me as soon as I decided to help Midgard. And then the God of all Vikings went and insulted me like I was a piece of meat. It made me feel like Hiccup the Useless again."

The girl grasped his arm, looking pleadingly up into his eyes.

"Do not say that!" she cried. "Never say that! Do not even think it. Hiccup the Useless is gone, lost. What remains is a dragon rider, an ambitious young Viking that wants to do something good with his life." She tightened her grip on his arm. "This is your chance. Hiccup the Useless is gone forever."

She handed something to him. Hiccup took it, and gasped as he did so. It was the necklace with the Nadder scale Astrid had given him on his departure from Berk.

"How did you get this?" Hiccup asked, indescribably happy to have the gift returned to him.

"I talked to the guards," she smiled. "Now let us go to your training area." She took Hiccup's arm and led him down a hall. Hiccup looped the chain back over his neck and looked at the picture of Astrid that was drawn on the light blue surface.

"She is beautiful," the girl commented, still walking. "She will miss you."

"When do think I will get to see her again?" Hiccup asked hopefully.

The girl shook her head sadly. "Not for at least three years," she stated. "The full training takes that long if you manage to pass every test without fail. The last Riddari Odin had trained here took a full four. But I think Odin will rush you through it. Midgard is already in chaos, and needs a savior immediately."

The two travelers entered a staircase and began to descend into a different part of the palace.

"Who was the last Rider Odin trained here?" Hiccup asked, tucking the Nadder scale into this shirt, where it nestled against his chest like an old friend.

"He was an elf," the girl told him, descending the steps in front of him. "He was a very nice person, and I liked him, but sadly, the aggressive training Odin put him through beat most of the happiness and joy out of his mind. When the elves found out how badly we were treating him, they almost declared war on Asgard, since it was so contrary to their customs. But Odin finally convinced them that becoming a worthy Riddari required a very tough training regime. The elves were not disappointed with his prowess once the training ended. In fact, they began to use some of our methods in their training programs on Alfheim."

They finished walking down the steps and entered a new hallway.

"So will this training beat all the life out of me?" Hiccup asked nervously, as they passed through a door. "I only want to be able to fight like a normal Viking, not to change who I am entirely."

The girl looked back at him and smiled, taking his hand. "I think you shall be fine," she said confidently.

Hiccup smiled, squeezing her hand back.

"Why do have such a charm about you?" He asked frankly. "Every time I hear your voice, it makes me feel refreshed, and all my worries and cares vanish. And how do you know so much about me? Who are you?"

The girl's smile faded from her face, and she released his hand.

"I am to escort you to your training area, Riddari," she said quietly, looking away. "It is directly ahead of us. We should hurry."

She began to walk off down the hallway ahead of him, her bare feet padding quickly. Hiccup jogged and caught up with her.

"Listen," Hiccup said, turning and trying to look at her. "You know everything there is to know about me. You know my past, my nicknames, the name of the girl I love, and everything else about my entire life. I have a right to know who you are."

The girl stopped. "This is the door to your training area, Riddari," she whispered. "I must go now." A tear trickled down her cheek and fell to the floor.

"Listen!" Hiccup cried, kneeling down and taking the girl by her shoulders. "Don't cry. I'm only curious. You are out of this world. Your aura of light, your beauty, and your knowledge, are all incredible, inhuman behaviors. Therefore I must know. What is yourname?"

The girl wiped a tear away.

"I have no name," she whispered, and then ran off down the hall.

Berk, Day 4 since Hiccup's departure

"Astrid, are you absolutely INSANE?" Fishlegs shrieked. "You actually went to meet the person who sent this message?" He brandished the scroll in his hand.

"Yes," Astrid gasped, still panting. She had just dropped back into Hiccup's room to return the cloak and to speak with Fishlegs. She was still shaken from the encounter with the strange rider and his massive Skrill, which had not pursued them once they had reached the safety of the trees.

"Why?" Fishlegs asked incredulously. "It was so obvious that it was purely a trap! You almost got killed, didn't you?"

"Yes!" Astrid snapped. "How did you know?"

"Well, first, you're missing one of your knives," Fishlegs pointed out. "I don't think it just fell out of the sheath by accident. And second, the writer was obviously a dangerous person."

"What makes you say that?" Astrid demanded, taking off the cloak. "There was nothing written that proved the writer was as dangerous as he was."

Fishlegs stared. "Astrid, the writing was written in DRAGON blood. How could you miss that?"

Astrid stared back. "How on earth am I supposed to tell the difference between regular blood and dragon blood?" She asked with slight amusement.

"The texture is completely different!" Fishlegs explained, as if it was blatantly obvious to anyone with a brain. "Human blood seeps right through 97.5 percent of all paper! But this stuff," he pointed at the letter, "was written in much thicker dragon blood, and it didn't leak through. Also, it was plain that the blood came from a Nadder, because of the distinguishable hue in the red markings! I thought you could easily detect that."

Astrid snorted in disgust. "Fishlegs, only you could have ever noticed that."

Fishlegs nodded emphatically. "Which is why it would have been prudent to show this to me BEFORE you went to the top of Badmist Mountain to speak with a lunatic who kills dragons! Who was up there, anyways, and what happened?"

Astrid sighed, picking up the parchment where Fishlegs had dropped it on the desk. "This is incredibly important, Fishlegs," She said. "We'll have to hold a village meeting about it tomorrow, as soon as everyone's sober."


	9. the beginning

Chapter 9: The Beginning

High Asgard, Day 4 since Hiccup's departure

"Welcome, Hiccup Haddock."

A lone man was standing in the middle of a large room with a high ceiling. Unlike most places on Asgard, the walls were not made of pure gold or marble. Instead, everything, including the floor and the roof, were bleak, dull stone. There were no windows, and Hiccup was unable to determine where the light in the room was coming from. Hiccup also noted a passageway to his right which led to a different section of the area, and another passage on the left. His metal foot clanked as he stepped forward, towards the man in front of him.

The man was tall, broad, and stern looking. His face was wide and muscular, with short-cropped brown hair. He wore silver armor but no helmet, and no swords were on his person either. Hiccup assumed that the man was to be his trainer.

"What is this place?" Hiccup asked cautiously, looking around at the enormous room.

"This," the man gestured to the chamber, "Is a gift from the Goddess Eir. As the Goddess of Healing, she invested this room with a blessing that allows no one to die while they are inside it, and any injury that is received in this room can be healed at will. This gives us the option to use real weapons while training you, and teach you how to endure real injuries. It is very valuable, and we call it Ragnarok."

"Ragnarok?" Hiccup laughed, amused at the title. "Ragnarok only occurs at the end of the world."

The corner of the man's mouth raised in a twisted grin.

"I named this place Ragnarok because it is where your life will end. By the time the training I will give you is over, you will wish you had never set foot in this room in your life. You would rather have Ragnarok occur than return to my training. That is how savage and ruthless my methods are. I must stress this fact before we begin. I am not going to be a kind, loving, educating father figure for you. I am here to beat you into the best Rider to ever grace the skies. I am not here to coddle you, listen to your whining, or kiss you good night. My job is only to transform your being, to guide your mind, and by the time I am through, you will not be the same."

"Well, that sounds exciting," Hiccup replied. "But if I am supposed to hate you for the next three years, than I need a name to insult you with."

"Asgeirr," The man replied. "And believe me, you'll use all kinds of names. I am here to make you hate me. I am here to make your life miserable. And I will, I can guarantee that. My tactics are not designed for your contentment."

"Cool," Hiccup replied, faking a yawn. "But I'm tired. I want to go to bed. Can you just tell me what I'll have to do tomorrow and let me go?"

Asgeirr approached Hiccup, his leather boots making soft thumps on the stone floor.

"I must first inspect your body and muscle flow," he stated."It is imperative that I know what I need to work with." He paused directly in front of Hiccup. "Put your feet shoulder width apart, and your arms straight and parallel to the floor."

Hiccup did as requested, and stayed still while Asgeirr walked around him, inspecting his form.

"You are a cripple," Asgeirr said casually. "Your metal leg is made of Dragon Iron, I see. Nicely done. Makes the leg both strong and light. But still, it is much more difficult to fight with only one real leg. For you, it will simply mean having to work twice as hard." He circled behind Hiccup. "Also, we will have to make some modifications to it."

Hiccup was astounded.

"Why?" he demanded. "I've tried everything, and I'm sure this is the most efficient prosthetic that exists in the entire archipelago, and probably Asgard as well."

"I do not doubt the quality," Asgeirr stated, coming back to face Hiccup. "I was referring to a more dangerous addition. Since you must always have a piece of metal strapped to your leg, why not transform it into a weapon? It is a good way to never be caught unarmed, having a weapon attached to you permanently. All weaknesses, even missing legs, lead to at least some advantages."

Hiccup did not reply, and Asgeirr grabbed Hiccup's bicep.

"You are not built like the standard Viking," the man drawled sarcastically. "And you have about as much muscle on your arms as a five year old girl." He poked Hiccup's thighs. "Similarly, your legs feel as weak as baby's."

"You're very encouraging, thank you, Asgeirr," Hiccup replied with dry humor. "When are you actually going to teach me something, instead of simply making fun of me and poking my body like a dead fish?"

Asgeirr ginned savagely, and then faced Hiccup. "All right, you impatient boy. I've inspected you, and while you're skinny and frail, you can develop muscle fast. I'll let you begin immediately."

Asgeirr turned and went to one of the side doors in the room, entered, and closed the door.

Hiccup stood where he had been left. He assumed Asgeirr was going to get some wooden swords so that they could train, or something of the sort. Instead, the room abruptly changed color, switching from stone grey to blood red. A vile smell reached Hiccup's nose, which made him sniff in distaste. Then another door opened, and a strange beast came out.

Hiccup shouted in terror, leaping backward. This thing was not a man, but a giant man with a wolf's head, and which walked upright on two legs. His body and hands were that of a man, but his face was entirely that of a brown-furred wolf. His hands also had no fingernails, but long, menacing claws. The beast was at least two feet taller than Hiccup.

It walked directly up to Hiccup, even as he stepped back in fear. The creature leered at him, sticking its long, muscular, hairy face directly in front of Hiccup' noticed that the beast's eyes were blood red with yellow pupils and that his sharp teeth were yellowed and stained with black gore.

"What is your name, dog?" It growled, it's repulsive breath hitting Hiccup in the face and making Hiccup wrinkle his nose in disgust. It smelled like rotting flesh, and reminded him of the scent he had to deal with when fighting the Red Death. It made him fear the beast even more.

"You talk," Hiccup gasped, his eyes wide in horror. "What are you?"

The beast grinned, his yellow fangs showing as his lips curled upward, baring his teeth in a fierce snarl.

"I am The Wolf," the creature growled. "And before I begin to instruct you, let me make my purpose here very clear. My only job in this room is to transform you into a tough, wild, savage beast. I will bring out your inner monster that is caged deep within you. By the time the training I will give you is over, you will wish you had never seen me before in your life. You would rather kill yourself than return to me. I will use everything I can use to drive you utterly insane, and if I do my job properly, you will become a demon, a monster that is driven by hate. So, what is your name?"

Hiccup swallowed. "My name is Hiccup Haddock, heir to the throne of Berk."

The Wolf barked a short laugh. "While you are in this room you are heir to nothing! You are only here to inherit all the pain I decide to give you, not some worthless throne in the middle of a crazed Viking society! You are aptly named, also. Hiccup. A worthless, pathetic accident that could never do anything decent! What a disgraceful name. It fits you perfectly."

Hiccup began to get angry. "It is not for a beast like you to decide whether a name determines a person's nature," he snapped. "And if you're here to train me, then please, begin! I am ready!"

"No, you're not," The Wolf stated savagely. "In fact, let me prove it to you."

Without warning, The Wolf raised his hand and slashed it into Hiccup's jaw. Hiccup reeled back, blood flying from his mouth, and crashed to the stone floor, screaming in pain. He could tell just by the sensation that his jawbone was broken. The Wolf hit hard. Above, The Wolf was roaring at him.

"RULE NUMBER ONE! Never trust the enemy! From now on, while we are in this room, I am only trying to hurt you and make you feel pain! This is the first goal in your training, to toughen you up. Always assume that anything I request is going to help me destroy you. Now get up, you dog! You asked for training, and I'm giving it to you! On your feet!"

Hiccup, still rolling over in agony, tried to rise. He used the doorknob as a lever to help him get to his feet, and then staggered over to where The Wolf was standing. The Wolf raised his fists. Hiccup did the same, his jaw shrieking in pain.

The Wolf smiled. "Your fighting stance looks like something a two year old does to impress his mommy," he mocked. "Come on, you want to get even with me for that cheap shot I gave you. Try and get me, you little wimp."

Hiccup, enraged, swung at The Wolf. With a bored, dull look on his face, the beast blocked the weak punch, and then whipped his arm around to thunder against Hiccup's cheekbone, his sharp claws raking cuts. A second punch slammed into Hiccup's left eye, flinging him back. He would have fallen again, but The Wolf caught him by his shirt collar, yanked him forward, and pulled him into a vicious head-butt. Yelling in agony, Hiccup was flung to the floor, where he coughed uncontrollably, his broken bones torturing his every movement.

"Get up!" Roared The Wolf. "Come on, you pansy! A rider must be able to handle pain! He must be able to know when it is NOT fine to quit! He must fight back! Get on your feet, you worthless rat!"

Hiccup was moaning in pain, and heard only one thing. Get up. He tried desperately to rise, but he could not. Screaming in pain, he gave up.

"What is in your hands?!" He screamed at The Wolf, blood trickling down his face and dripping onto the stone floor. "No one can hit that hard! You have rocks in your palms, you sick cheater!"

The Wolf smiled at him, opening his clawed hands and showing emptiness. Then he clenched his fists and showed them to Hiccup.

"This," he said with pride, "IsJarn af Munr, theHands of Iron. Each knuckle and claw is embedded with a thick layer of tempered Dragon Iron, making the bones hard as steel and yet barely heavier at all. It is said that a strong enough punch with these things can break just about every bone in the human body. Get up and you'll find out."

Hiccup was enraged that he had been attacked with such barbarism. Pulling his legs under him, he strove to get up. While he was on his hands and knees, The Wolf stepped forward and, with a metal toed boot, mercilessly kicked Hiccup savagely in the gut. Hiccup yelled in pain, falling once more. Another rib broke as his body hit the stone surface. He lay still on the floor, moaning in utter agony, the breath gone from his lungs.

The Wolf looked down at him mockingly.

"This thing cannot be a hero," he stated flatly, gesturing to Hiccup. "You cannot be the one the prophecy speaks of. Every breath you take is an embarrassment to the air." He squatted next to Hiccup, who had now rolled on his back,writhing in pain. The Wolf spat out his words.

"You arenothing," he hissed. "Your father would be ashamed of you. The worst Viking Berk has ever seen. What an embarrassment. If you were my son, I would have left you on a mountain to die the moment you were born. You are a shameful excuse for a Dragon Rider." The Wolf leaned into Hiccup's ear. "Get up, Hiccup theUSELESS."

Useless. Useless. USELESS!

The title echoed in Hiccup's ears, a waterfall of pain and hatred rushing into his mind. He recalled the long hard years before he had met Toothless, everything that he tried desperately to forget. The bullying he had gotten from the tribe, the way all had shunned him, the way his father used to look at him with disappointment, all came back to him in a rush, the old images haunting his mind. The way the twins would spit on him as he walked by, the way Fishlegs would stare sadly, the way Astrid would barely glance at him, and the way Snotlout laughed and jeered, all came to mind at once. Hatred filled his body, blocking out the pain that he felt. He saw nothing but red, and in the center of that red was The Wolf, who was still crouching next to Hiccup, sneering at him.

Hiccup leapt to his feet in a rage, forgetting the pain of his injuries. He aimed a savage kick at his trainer's face, hoping to smash his wolfish features to a pulp. Instead, the beast calmly caught his leg, twisted it, and sent Hiccup crashing down to the floor again, even as The Wolf stood up.

"Useless, Useless, Useless!" The Wolf mocked, pointing his clawed index finger and laughing in scorn.

Hiccup was back on his feet in a flash, his mind bent on only one thing – killing The Wolf. He fired two more punches at the demon's taunting face, screaming in rage. The Wolf ducked under both of them, laughing in derision at Hiccup's weak attempts. With a scream of rage and pain, Hiccup recovered and tackled The Wolf, swinging his arms like a madman.

All his blows landed harmlessly on The Wolf's hard leather armor. Then The Wolf physically picked Hiccup off the ground and flung him against the stone wall, causing Hiccup to bounce off the solid rock.

Hiccup tried to stand again, but as soon as he put all his weight on his good leg, The Wolf stepped forward and brutally kicked Hiccup's knee, breaking the bone and snapping Hiccup's leg backwards. Hiccup collapsed to the ground by the wall, simply unable to rise.

Hiccup, still mad with rage but unable to move, looked up at The Wolf through his one good eye, his vision blurred with pure hatred. The Wolf smiled.

"You have at least some fight in your weak body, Riddari," he growled through his fangs. "But you need more teaching, much more. Be back tomorrow, but be prepared to get mangled even worse than you are now." He leaned in and whispered to Hiccup, who was still motionless on the floor.

"Feel it," The Wolf hissed. "Feel the hate pulse through your body, every sense you have controlling your mind and blotting out the pain. You are already succumbing to the madness I instill. Every man has his weak point, his inner demon that can be unleased if done properly. With you, it was easy. I simply had to recreate everything you ever hated, the colors, the smells, everything that brings back horrific memories and drives you senseless. It was also with great pleasure that I discovered that you react so violently one word alone – USELESS."

Hearing the Wolf say the name again made Hiccup snarl and try to attack the Wolf once more. However, the severity of his injuries prevented him from doing anything other than wriggling. The Wolf laughed, and, grabbing Hiccup's hair, dragged him to the door he had entered. Tossing Hiccup to the ground in front of it, he reached for the leather buckler on his right forearm.

He twisted it.

Immediately Hiccup felt a drastic change come over his body, like being struck with a gush of sunlight and warm water. His destroyed ribs snapped back into place, his jawbone straightened out, the broken knee merged completely with the other bones, ligaments and tendons crawling through him as they fixed themselves. Finally, his face mended itself. The Wolf had healed him.

At the moment, all Hiccup wanted to do was to leap up and attack The Wolf again. But before he could move, The Wolf kicked him out the now-open door. He landed back in the beautiful hallway with a thud, tumbling on the soft carpet. Then the door banged, closing the training room off. Hiccup was now back from where he had once came, completely healed and back to how he had been before.

Shaking with what remained of his fear and rage, Hiccup looked down at his hands.

"What happened to me in there?" he whispered, to no one in particular. "How did I just go crazy like that?"

Unable to answer his own question, Hiccup rose to feet, his prosthetic leg creaking as he stood up. He had no idea where to go, and was so tired that he simply collapsed on the floor once more, deciding to sleep right there and not get up again for a week.

However, at that juncture, two golden-helmeted guards appeared. Without a word, they reached down, grabbed him by his limp arms and dragged him down the hallway to a room on the end. Opening the door, they tossed Hiccup in, slamming the door behind him. Hiccup looked up, and saw that it was a luxurious bedroom. Sighing, he used what was left of his energy to climb into the large, soft bed that was against the wall. Without even bothering to pull the blankets over him, he fell right to sleep.

It had been a LONG day.

Berk, Day 5 since Hiccup's departure

"All right, quiet, everyone!" Stoick the Vast boomed.

The great Hall fell silent, everyone ceasing their murmuring and looking at their chief. Stoick's massive brown beard bobbed as he spoke again.

"I know thisgathering was unexpected," he continued, "but a member of our tribe, Astrid Hofferson, has discovered something that she deems needs to be discussed with the entire village. As our customs dictate, Astrid shall come up here and inform the village of her discovery. Even I do not know what she intends to discuss, but it is imperative that we all listen attentively. Astrid, if you would join me up here."

He gestured to the seat next to his throne in the Great Hall.

Astrid rose from her seat next to Fishlegs and Gobber. As she walked up to the platform on which the chief sat, she saw Heather, who was sitting in a separate group with her tribe. Astrid doubted that she had yet discovered that the message she had taken was missing. Astrid had the message folded in her pocket even as she walked up to the platform. Stoick gestured to the chair, and she sat, every pair of eyes in the tribe fixed on her.

Astrid waited for about two seconds, and then spoke, relaxing in the furs of the seat.

"When Heather and some of her people first arrived on this island to visit and trade with us," she began, "she also brought a message for our heir, Hiccup. It had been sent by an unknown person who had given it to Heather merely to transport to Berk by a certain date. It was meant for Hiccup and Hiccup alone, so it had been unopened by Heather or anyone else. The date on which the message was to be delivered was yesterday, so she brought the letter just in time."

Astrid paused for effect.

"However, as we all know, Hiccup was not here at the occasion she arrived, and we were not expecting him back for a week or more. Therefore, since the letter had a deadline, and the delivery would fall short of said deadline, the message was worthless."

Astrid rose from the chair and began to walk up and down the platform, looking at the Vikings assembled before her.

"Now, when I first saw the message," she continued,"it was apparent that it was incredibly important and also incredibly strange. It was sealed with a red seal etched in the shape of a Night Fury's head and was rolled up in a scroll, which is only done for the most significant papers. Because of this, I naturally assumed that the writer knew Hiccup, since it was being sent to our heir and apparently the writer knew how Toothless looked, or at least well enough to be able to draw him on the seal. But then I considered this question: who would be so secretive as to send a message to Hiccup through Heather, when they had already met?"

Astrid received no reply. She continued, still pacing the wooden floor.

"This, to me, meant that the message was very suspicious. But I dismissed any thoughts about it at first, because, as I said earlier, it would never reach Hiccup by the appointed time anyways. However, when I saw it fall out of Heather's bag, my curiosity got the best of me, and I opened it."

There was a gasp from the table Heather was sitting at. Astrid assumed that Heather hadn't realized she had dropped it. Astrid stopped walking and pulled the folded message out of her pocket.

"I was stunned," she continued, "when I read the contents of the letter. I think it would be best if I read them aloud to the village, so that everyone can understand."

She unfolded the document and, with the attention of everyone, began to read.

"Riddari of the Night Fury,

This message is to be imparted to no one but yourself. Contained in this letter are facts that I would not ever like known to anyone, and it is only through circumstances that you are receiving this information at all. Only if you bear the name Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, rider of the Dragon Toothless, may you continue reading."

Astrid paused to add, "I ignored the warning, even though the letter is written in blood." She then continued.

"Riddari Hiccup,

It is with the greatest pleasure that I learned of your dragon's existence. At first I could not believe that the rumors I heard were true, but soon it became apparent through the deliverer of this message that the supposed legend of the Night Fury did, in fact, exist. This information greatly excited me, for I, being a rider myself, am in possession of a dragon that I have reason to believe is the brother of the Night Fury you currently ride, whose name, I have heard, is Toothless. I desire a meeting between us, or shall I say, our dragons, but it is impossible that the arrangement be public. The circumstances of my dragon are such that he will most likely be shot down on sight, regardless of any peace with dragons that I hear your island possesses. Therefore I request that you meet me on the top of Badmist Mountain, unaccompanied, at midnight thirteen days from now, where I can show you why I had to be so secretive and can also show you the brother of your dragon.

Once more, this information is to be communicated to absolutely no one else.

A Fellow Riddari."

Astrid stopped reading. The whole hall was deathly silent. Astrid spoke again.

"After reading this, I decided to go and meet the writer on Badmist Mountain, since Hiccup would be unable to do so himself. I informed no one that I was going except FishlegsIngerman, because the rest of the village was dead drunk and I had little time to reach the proper destination. So I gave Fishlegs the message to examine, andwent to Badmist Mountain alone, in order to meet the person who claimed to have Toothless' brother."

The villagers stared and gasped in awe.

"When I arrived, no one was there," Astrid continued. "But, after a few minutes, a strange dragon arrived. It was enormous, about as big as five Monstrous Nightmares. It could have eaten me in one bite. I couldn't tell what it was at first, but when it lit a fire, I saw that it was a Skrill."

There were shouts and cries of disbelief from the crowd of villagers. People began to leap from their seats and shout questions at Astrid, none of which Astrid could hear clearly through the chaos. Then Stoick pounded his fist on his chair for silence.

"BE QUIET!" he roared. The people were silenced immediately, all sitting back down in their spots.

"Losing our heads here will gain us nothing!" Stoick shouted. "Just keep calm and listen to Astrid." He turned to her.

"Astrid, are you sure it was a Skrill? I thought they were all dead."

"I'm positive," Astrid replied. "There was no doubt about it. The appearance, the look and the eyes all matched the description in the Dragon Manual. It also used lightning to illuminate the area. The only thing it had that was not ordinary was its size."

She paused again, getting ready for the uproar that would occur after she mentioned the next fact.

"And there was a rider on its back."

As expected, another racket from the villagers occurred, and once more Stoick had to calm them down, using his booming voice. As soon as all was quiet once more, Astrid continued again.

"Yes, there was a rider on its back, just as the letter implied. This rider was a man dressed in brown metal armor, and wore a horned mask over his face. As soon as he saw me, he got off the Skrill, which appeared to be loyal to him, and demanded to know where Toothless was. When I told him that Hiccup and Toothless were gone, and that I needed to see Toothless' brother if I was to believe anything he wrote, he did not comply with my wishes. Instead, he flew into a rage and tried to kill me."

There was a collective gasp from the crowd.

"I was forced to duelhim on top of the Mountain. But he was very good with his sword, and I realized I had to flee to keep my life. So I jumped on Stormfly and we managed to escape into the forest."

Astrid paused again, returning to her chair and sitting back down, placing the letter on the table beside her.

"When I returned, Fishlegs told me some interesting facts about the message that he had discovered. One was that it had been written in Dragon Blood."

The villagers all muttered angrily among themselves. Using dragon blood as ink used to be what was always done for important documents like treaties, but now it was strictly forbidden, ever since they had made peace with the dragons.

"Another interesting item to consider is the way it was written," Astrid went on. "For instance, it addressed Hiccup asRiddari.I had no idea what that meant until Fishlegs informed me that it was Old Norse for Rider. This meant that the person who wrote it was well educated in the older languages. The structure and wording of the letter also gavethe implication that the writer was intelligent. The way the Rider I met on the Mountain also fought and spoke also implied that he was skilled with both words and a blade. And finally, the writer addressed Hiccup by name. So, my question is: Why would anyone like this, who was intelligent, knows Hiccup, and rides a Skrill, ever send a message to Hiccup about the brother of Toothless, and then try to kill me when I went to him to confer about it? That is what I called this meeting to discuss."

She stopped.

Gobber spoke up from the crowd.

"Well, ya know, lass, anyone who reads a private letter written in blood is allowed to be killed if the writer wants ta."

Astrid nodded. "Are you saying that he could possibly be a good man, and only tried to kill me because I read the message I wasn't supposed to?"

Gobber shrugged. "It's a possibility, lass. We shouldn't put him down as an enemy just yet."

"But he wrote the letter in dragon blood!" Another villager shouted. "Any rider that still supports the killing of dragons is no true rider!"

"Yes!" The other villagers shouted. "The man is a demon!"

"You've got a point," Gobber admitted, over the tumult of the crowd.

Stoick addressed Astrid. "You never saw the rider's face?" he demanded.

"No, chief," Astrid replied. "He had a helmet with a mask on. I'm only sure it was a man because of the way he spoke. But he was really big, almost as big as you, chief. He was quick with his sword and incredibly strong. It was like nobody else I had ever seen before."

Stoick turned to look at Heather, who was sitting in the crowd of Vikings.

"Heather," he demanded, "Where did you acquire this message that Astrid speaks of?"

Heather answered calmly. "As I told Astrid yesterday, a boy brought it to my house fourteen days ago. The boy asked me if I knew of a Night Fury, and I told him I did. Then he handed me this. He said that his master had given him explicit instructions that this message was to be delivered directly to the Rider of the Night Fury, in person, by what is now yesterday, or else the message in it would be meaningless. When I asked him who his master was, he ran away without answering. I had never seen the boy before."

"Were you aware that you had dropped the message?"

"I was not," Heather replied. "I had no idea until Astrid said so just now."

Stoick frowned. "And no one in this room has any idea who sent the message?" he asked the entire mass of Vikings.

There was no reply.

"This is a very serious matter, Stoick," Spitelout Jorgenson said, rising from his seat. "If what the girl says is true, and we can check it easily enough by looking for tracks, then we need to find out what it is. If that dragon is as big as Astrid described, then it could shoot lightning at our houses and destroy the entire village."

Stoick nodded thoughtfully.

"I agree with you, Spitelout. We need to get to the bottom of this affair. We'll have scouts look at the area where Astrid met with the unknown rider. We'll see if its tracks are really that big. But regardless, the fact that a rider exists that we don't know about is enough. And if he knows my son, then there's something strange going on." Stoick paused, rubbing his beard thoughtfully.

"So what should we do about it, chief?" Gobber asked.

Stoick raised his head. "I have no idea what to make of this, Gobber. We need to discuss the issue with my son." He rose from his throne.

"As chieftain of Berk," he declared to the mass of Vikings, "I demand that Hiccup be brought back to Berk from Bog Burglar Island without the slightest delay."


	10. words and actions

Chapter 10: Words and Actions

Berk, Day 5 since Hiccup's Departure

Astrid tightened the last buckle on Stormfly's saddle, letting the leather strap slide smoothly against her dragon's blue scales as she prepared the equipment for a long flight.

"All right, Stormfly," she murmured, stroking her dragon's neck. "I always wanted Hiccup to come back sooner, and now I suppose I'm getting my wish. I would just prefer if there wasn't the issue of a giant vicious Skrill on the loose."

Stormfly squawked at Astrid, her white teeth sparkling in what looked like a dragon grin.

"Of course, girl," Astrid smiled, rubbing her dragon's snout. "If they come after us, we'll just outrun them again. You're fast enough."

Giving Stormfly a final pat, she turned and walked back through the village to the Ingerman home. It was very early in the morning, and there was very little activity to draw her attention. The morning sun was just about to peek over the horizon, and Astrid and her companions, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut, were leaving Berk in a short time. She needed to make sure that they were ready.

Reaching Fishlegs' house, she banged on the door to his dragon stable. Before anyone could answer, she threw the door open with a boom. Fishlegs was there, as she expected. But instead of preparing, he was standing with Meatlug, trying to decide if he needed to bring all the papers and books that were on the table in front of him. He barely looked at Astrid when she entered, as he was so absorbed in his thoughts.

"Oh, for crying out loud, Fishlegs!" Astrid moaned. "This is supposed to be a quick, efficient trip to the Bog and then back, with Hiccup accompanying us. We need to pack as lightly as possible."

Fishlegs scratched his head. "Well, in that case, should I take my book on Bog Burglar culture or the book on how to fight strike class dragons like the Skrill? Or maybe my botanical analysis on the Bog's vegetables?"

Astrid walked over to the table, which had a stack of books on it at least two feet high.

"I don't know," she growled angrily. "Have you considered taking NONE AT ALL!?"

With one swoop of her arm, she knocked every book off the table and onto the dusty floor of the dragon stables, watching as they all landed in the dirt.

"Aaaaahh!" Fishlegs shouted, leaping down to pick up his precious books. "Why would you do that, Astrid? These are highly technical information stores regarding almost everything in the entire archipelago! They are worth more than -"

Astrid grabbed Fishlegs' shoulders and shook him, causing him to drop the books her had already picked up.

"Listen to me, you big dummy!" She shouted."Our job is to go get Hiccup and return to Berk as fast as we can! That means taking NO BOOKS WHATSOEVER! It is nothing but added weight, and you have the slowest dragon of us all. All we are bringing are weapons, clothing, and food! Nothing else, except that letter that was sent to Hiccup so that we can show it to him. Am I clear? NO BOOKS, Fishlegs!"

Fishlegs looked down sheepishly.

"Fine, Astrid," he sighed. "No books. But I will have to disagree that I will have the slowest dragon. The twins are coming with us, you know, and there's an 89.56 percent chance that they'll be too busy fighting each other to maintain a proper speed."

Astrid sighed in agreement.

"I really, REALLY wish that we did not have to take the twins with us," she groaned. "Why did Stoick even allow it, Fishlegs?"

"Uhh, it's obvious," Fishlegs stated, bending down to retrieve the books once more. "He just wanted to get them out of the village, of course. If I were the chief I would do the exact same thing."

"That's probably right, actually," Astrid grumbled. "Still, those muttonheads are going to cause so much trouble on the journey. We'll have to put up with their nonsense for three whole days of flying. I don't like having to waste time just because Stoick wants a little peace and quiet."

"Well, you could try to convince the chief to let Snotlout go instead," Fishlegs suggested, placing the last book back on the table.

Astrid snorted in disgust. "Snotlout won't go with us unless Heather comes too. He's been doing nothing but try to impress her since she arrived. Besides, I would almost rather have the twins than that pathetic Snotlout. He is simply incapable of understanding the words common sense."

"Yeah, I guess having Snotlout with us would be almost as bad as the twins," Fishlegs mused. "Anyway, how soon are we leaving, Astrid?"

"In twenty minutes," Astrid snapped, stalking to the door. "Don't even think about packing any books, and make sure you're ready by then. I'm not waiting for any of the dumb send-off or fanfare that Hiccup had to go through. Sunup is in ten minutes, and we're leaving in twenty. Move!"

She opened the door, went through it, and closed it behind her, stepping back out into the chilly morning air. Her next stop was the twin's house. She was expecting to have to break up one of the twin's usual fights and remind them that they were leaving soon. However, as she strode through the village, she met Heather coming out of the guest hall.

"Astrid!" Heather exclaimed, jumping off the steps of the hall and coming to walk beside the blonde-haired Viking in the main street. "Are you leaving soon?"

"As soon as the sun rises," Astrid told her, not hesitating in her stride. "It's about a three day flight to the Bog, according to Fishlegs, and I want to be at their island early on the third day. Speed is of the utmost importance right now. That letter could be the start of something serious."

Heather drooped her head.

"I really wish I hadn't agreed to bring it," she said apologetically. "It seems like every time I meet you guys, I cause problems and make your life harder, even after all you did for me and family."

Astrid threw her arm around Heather's shoulders and squeezed.

"Hey, you had no idea what the message said," she admonished. "Don't blame yourself for any this mess. If anyone, I should be blamed, because I was not authorized to open that letter. Regardless, the strange Rider would have found a way to send it to Hiccup anyways."

Heather nodded. "Probably, but I still feel mildly responsible."

Astrid smiled. "Well, at least I get Hiccup back sooner than expected. I've really missed him a lot more than I thought I would, especially after getting those nightmares or visions or whatever they are. I just want to be sure he's safe. Also, those Bog Burglars may not have liked Toothless and decided to kill them both. I want reassurance that everything's all right, and this little trip is a perfect way to do that."

"Well, I don't think that Hiccup's in any danger in the Bog," Heather replied. "I mean, the Bog Burglars requested that Hiccup show them the benefits of dragons, right? I think it would be a really low down trick to pull if they just decided to execute him."

"The Boggies aren't known for their fair tactics," Astrid answered, dropping her arm from her friend's shoulder. "I've heard that they'll sleep with men to reproduce and then slit their throats while they're asleep. And, of course, they kill any males they give birth to, in order to maintain their woman-based culture. Their methods aren't exactly exemplary."

"But even if they're a bit savage, they're smart, too," Heather argued. "They should be able to see the benefits a dragon offers to the safety and protection of their island. So they won't kill Hiccup because they need him to teach them."

"But they could just let Hiccup teach them and then kill him," Astrid replied. "That would be a classic Bog Burglar move."

The two girls reached the Thorston home, where the twins could be heard yelling and fighting inside. Astrid stopped, and Heather did the same.

"I've got to deal with these things," Astrid said, gesturing to the house. "Can you believe it? Our chief is requiring me to have them as an escort for the trip."

"Escort?" Heather asked, grinning. "I would call it a get no rest-cort."

Astrid laughed at the joke.

"I would too," she agreed."Fishlegs guessed that chief Stoick simply wants them out of the village for a week, and I think he's right. I don't blame Stoick either. Do you hear the noise those people are making?"

Another crash rocked the house, and Heather shook her head.

"Have fun with them. And have safe trip, Astrid. Be back soon. Snotlout will be causing me no end of problems while you're gone. I'll have absolutely no one fun to talk to."

"Try Gobber," Astrid suggested. "He's all right if you can tolerate his lame jokes and dry humor. And he's also pretty smart too. If you're bored, just head to the forge, and he'll keep you entertained."

"I'll keep it in mind," Heather smiled.

"I've got to go talk with these losers and then I'll be flying out," Astrid told her. "Will you be at the send-off, if there is one?"

Heather nodded. "Definitely. I'll be there waving."

Astrid smiled, and Heather embraced her friend. "Good luck, Astrid. Have a safe trip."

Astrid nodded into Heather's shoulder. "I will. Don't take too much crap from Snotlout, either."

Heather smiled, releasing Astrid. "I won't. Have fun."

Heather turned and walked away, waving goodbye. Astrid watched her until she vanished in the village, and then turned to the Thorston house with a sigh. She would have to deal with the two lunatics inside.

Just as she was about to kick the door open, a window upstairs opened and the twins crashed out, falling down and landing in a heap on the muddy ground.

"It's my sausage!" Tuffnut shouted, hammering at his sister with both fists.

"No, it's mine!" Ruffnut shouted, throwing Tuffnut off of her and into a mud puddle. "And you stole it from me!"

"If it was yours, then what happened to mine?" Tuffnut yelled, head-butting Ruffnut.

"You ate it already, you dummy!" Ruffnut shouted back, kicking Tuffnut in the belly and splashing more muddy water around. "Maybe if I kick you hard enough you'll puke it out and I can show you!"

Astrid walked up to the twins, and reaching down, seized their necks and banged their heads together, twice. As Astrid had learned, only violence ever got the twin's attention.

"Listen!" Astrid shouted, shaking them fiercely. "Stop the stupid fighting right now! You two are coming with me to the Bog, remember, and we're leaving in about fifteen minutes! Get your pathetic selves out of the mud and get your dragon ready to leave! Move, before I make you both puke out your dumb sausages!"

She banged their heads together again for good measure, and let them drop to the ground again.

"We're – we're ready to go, Astrid," Tuffnut mumbled, sitting up in the dirt and rubbing his face where it had struck Ruffnut's. "We just had to eat breakfast first, and then we started fighting. Also, all those knocks my head took reminded me. Ruffnut was right, I did eat my sausage already. And my dad's, too. I don't know how I forgot."

"Told you!" Ruffnut sneered, rubbing her head as well.

"Well, I got hungry," Tuffnut said defensively. "And I saw your sausage sitting on the table and thought it was for me."

"NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR STUPID SAUSAGES!" Astrid screamed, completely exasperated. "Get Barf and Belch and let's GO!"

She stalked off, shaking her head.

"Whoa, Astrid's mad," Ruffnut said, adjusting her helmet. "Do think it's because of us?"

"No," Tuffnut said, still sitting in the mud. "Iknowit's because of us."

They gave each other a high five.

Ten minutes later, the four Vikings were getting ready to leave just outside the village. The twins were busy arguing over which head of their dragon was which, Fishlegs was running around making sure he had everything, and Astrid was receiving last minute instructions from the chief himself.

"And make sure you're not timid," Stoick said."But you've got a naturally aggressive attitude, lass, and that'll impress the Bog Burglars. Yelling, shouting, and slamming your axe into the table are also great ways to talk to them."

"All the usual stuff?" Astrid grinned.

Stoick boomed a laugh. "That's my kind of Viking! But really, I'm serious, Astrid. Make sure that they see you as a threat and a powerful representative, not someone they can push around. The dragons will help with that. Also, please don't let Fishlegs talk to them. He'll embarrass Berk with his percentages and numbers."

Astrid laughed. "Don't worry, chief. I'm not even planning on stopping long in the Bog. I just want to go there, get Hiccup, and come back, and the sooner the better. I really didn't like that unknown rider I had to fight."

Stoick nodded. "I agree, lass. And I really hope you can bring Hiccup back soon. Have a nice trip."

Astrid bowed to the chief, and then turned towards Stormfly, barking orders at her companions.

"Mount up, Berkians!" She shouted. "We're off to the bog!"

The small crowd of Vikings who were watching the departure cheered. Astrid saw her parents and Heather in the throng. She waved at them, and they waved back. Then she stepped into Stormfly's stirrup and swung herself into the saddle. Fishlegs and the twins were already on their dragons, ready to go. Astrid checked her saddlebags for the message, made sure it was still there, and then tapped the axe on her back to reassure herself of its comforting presence. She never felt safe without a weapon on her. However, when she felt her knives, she remembered that she only had one left on her belt. The other she had lost, most likely permanently, in the fight with the strange rider. She would have to get another one forged as soon as they returned.

With one final look at the village, she touched her dragon. "Let's go, girl." Stormfly crooned a reply, and then shot into the sky above Berk, Fishlegs and the twins following.

Astrid could faintly hear the last farewells of the people on the island, and then they were out of hearing.

Astrid relaxed in her saddle. They were on their way.

High Asgard, Day 5 since Hiccup's Departure

A huge bucket of ice cold water was thrown on Hiccup's face, wrenching him from the warm grasp of sleep. For a second Hiccup thought he was back on Berk, and Toothless was licking his face to wake him up for a morning flight. However, the liquid was too cold and he opened his eyes with a gasp.

It took him a moment to remember all that had occurred since he left home. The flight to the Bog, his capture, meeting Odin, the purple eyed girl, the loss of Toothless, and beating of The Wolf all came back to him in flash. Looking up, he saw the sneering face of Asgeirr looking down at him.

"You are one lazy Riddari," Asgeirr commented. "It is time to get up, eat, and continue your training. Move."

Hiccup moaned, drying his face with the blanket on his bed and stretching his sore muscles.

"It's not fair," he grumbled sleepily, "To tell a man that he is the savior of Midgard, steal his dragon, ship him to a training room called Ragnarok where he gets beaten to pieces and goes insane, and then expect him to get up early the very next day by dousing him with ice water. You're a mean trainer, Asgeirr."

"I told you I was not here to coddle you," Asgeirr replied emotionlessly. "And you are to begin your training for today in a half hour. You need to eat and recover your strength before you begin."

Hiccup groaned, sitting up in the soft bed.

"Well, if you didn't want your students to sleep in," he joked, "then you shouldn't have made the beds so soft."

Asgeirr shrugged. "We can arrange for a massive rock to be brought in," he said sarcastically. "You could put sheets over it sleep on that instead. We also provide a special blanket made of raspy shark skin. If you would prefer that as well I can have it brought in too."

"I was joking," Hiccup muttered, swinging his legs off the bed. "And I sure hope you were too."

His prosthetic leg struck the ground as he stood up, directly in front of Asgeirr, who was still holding the bucket. Hiccup now realized that he only reached Asgeirr's shoulders in height. It made him feel even smaller and weaker than he really was.

Asgeirr pointed to a tray of food on a table by the nearest wall.

"Eat, Riddari. I will explain the situation and conditions of your education while you fill your stomach."

Hiccup nodded, still groggy, and went to sit down in the nearest chair at the table. The food looked very good, and consisted of milk, eggs, cheese, lots of meat, and strange fruits that Hiccup had never seen before. Interested, he picked up one of them, which was sliced and yellow. It was completely foreign to him.

"What is this?" he demanded, as Asgeirr walked over and sat across from him, having set the bucket down.

"Those fruits," Asgeirr replied, "are called pineapple, kiwi, and grapes. They are delicious, and provide essential nutrients that keep you in excellent condition. What you have in your hand right now is named pineapple."

Hiccup only heard the word delicious. He hadn't eaten since he had left the Bog, and was ravenous. He attacked the thing in his hand that Asgeirr called 'pineapple.' The food was the best thing Hiccup had ever eaten. The golden slices melted and tasted like sugar in his mouth. Despite his hunger, he chewed slowly, savoring every bite.

Asgeirr spoke. "Listen very carefully, Riddari. The way this training operates is as follows. There are 3 Phases in the training process, each of which has 10 Levels. This is Day 1 of your preparation, and you are currently on Phase 1, Level 1 of your training. Your short term objective is to pass Level 1, which is entitled The Wolf. Once you progress from this Level, you will advance to Level 2, Phase 1. After that, there will be 9 other levels to pass before you reach Phase 2. After you complete Phase 2, you have now reached Phase 3. Once Phase 3 is concluded, you will have one last, final test, and then you have become a true Riddari, which is your ultimate goal throughout this entire process."

Hiccup finished the pineapple and reached for the kiwi. Ignoring the hairy skin, he sank his teeth into the fruit.

Asgeirr continued. "It will not be easy, Hiccup. Each Level of every Phase requires you to have a unique and talented approach. Each one is very difficult and taxing on both your mind and body. They are all very hard to complete. You will never pass a Level by accident."

Leaving the grapes for later, Hiccup took up the large chunk of meat in both hands and rammed a large bite into his mouth, starting to chew.

"What," he asked with his mouth full, "Is Level 1, with The Wolf, even trying to achieve? I was literally smashed to pieces by The Wolf, and if I go in there again today the same thing will happen, if not worse. He said so."

"The very first Level forces you to be able to withstand great amounts of pain," Asgeirr replied. "Trust me, The Wolf will give you plenty of it."

"It's not so much the pain I am afraid of," Hiccup answered, putting down his food and gazing steadily at Asgeirr. "It's not as if I enjoy being ripped to pieces, but while I was in Ragnarok I literally went mad. Insane. Crazy. I turned into a demon, like Hel herself, and I don't know why. That is what I am afraid of, and that is what I do not understand about the Level."

Asgeirr smiled grimly. "If you were to ask either of the two recruits that already passed my training, I think they would say that The Wolf was the worst Level they had to deal with in the entire training. What this Level does is tap into everything you hate, everything that you were ever scared of, everything that makes you angry, terrified, and enraged. Every color you see, every odor you smell, and everything you touch is designed to make you crazy, to make you fear both the Level and The Wolf. That is what makes Level 1 so difficult to overcome. You must master your fear, your anger, your hate, and manage to eliminate the insanity that Ragnarok instills. When you are finally able to withstand the powers of the room, you will be able to kill The Wolf, and only then do you pass Level 1."

Hiccup stared. "The Wolf is enormous," he stated. "He has unbreakable metal hands with razor sharp metal claws. He has sharp teeth. He has massive amounts of muscle, and could probably kill me with his little finger. I have none of his advantages, nothing that gives me something to use against him. I am a cripple, I do not have Dragon Iron embedded in my knuckles, I am so much smaller and weaker than The Wolf, and yet you expect me to KILL him? I'll tell you the one word that come to mind, Asgeirr."

Hiccup took another bite and spoke through the meat.

"IMPOSSIBLE."

Asgeirr frowned. "Define impossible, Riddari. If I had, two years ago, told you that you would eventually become the first Viking to ever befriend, train, and ride a dragon, what would you have said? I'll tell you. IMPOSSIBLE. If I told you two years ago that you would earn the respect and admiration of your father and your entire village, what would you have said? IMPOSSIBLE. If I told you two years ago that you would ever speak to, let alone kiss, Astrid Hofferson, what would you have said? IMPOSSIBLE. So I don't want to hear that word again. It is forbidden. ANYTHING is possible when you work hard and give effort."

Hiccup leapt from his seat, furious, and pointed his meat at Asgeirr.

"I'll tell you what's impossible, Asgeirr! YOU KNOWING EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT MY LIFE! How did you know about me befriending Toothless? How did you know about my dad, and about Astrid? How does The Wolf know what smells and words from my past to use in that damned to Hel room?! You want to know what I say to that? Thor-blasted IMPOSSIBLE! It's not natural! You are taking my personal memories and using them to mess up my mind!"

He stopped his tirade, glaring at Asgeirr. The meat was still in his hands.

Asgeirr looked up at Hiccup.

"Sit down, Riddari," he commanded. "Your concerns about our knowledge of your past and being are justified, but it is imperative that we do know them. In fact, only one person knows everything about you, Odin's little seer. She had to inform me of everything your past offered that could possibly help with your training, and I am using it to train you properly."

Hiccup sat back down.

"I thought that that little girl was a sweet, beautiful, soothing creature," Hiccup growled, attacking his food again. "But now I see that she was cruel enough to give all my personal information to you, who in turn is using it to drive me insane. This makes me reconsider my admiration for her. I'm almost glad I made her cry yesterday."

Asgeirr looked startled.

"She actually cried?" he demanded. "That is very unusual. What on the name of Hel did you say to her?"

"I just asked her what her name was," Hiccup replied, digging back into his food. "She got really upset at that. You seem to know her. Do you know why?"

Asgeirr leaned back in his chair. "That is a tale for another day, Riddari. Right now you need to hurry your eating. The Wolf will be waiting for you soon."

"Let him wait," Hiccup growled, finishing the meat and grabbing the grapes. "He's a demon who probably needs to learn proper patience. And I've still got about twenty minutes anyway. Let me enjoy that time not getting beaten and battered. How soon should I be able to defeat him, anyway?"

Asgeirr shrugged. "It largely depends on how quickly you overcome your madness, Riddari. The last trainee I had here was a master soldier before he even entered the room, and even he took three months to pass."

Hiccup shook his head, still eating. "That forbidden word is coming to mind once more."

Asgeirr gave a thin, tight smile before leaning across the table towards Hiccup.

"Impossible or not, Riddari, you will have to try. In order to make you try, you need motivation. I will give it to you."

Hiccup looked up. Asgeirr continued.

"Your dragon, Toothless, is currently training on Alfheim. There he is undergoing his own initial preparation, which will take him about a year. No matter how soon Toothless returns to Asgard, you will not see him until you have passed Phase 1, which is governed by your efforts, and not time. So the faster you finish, the faster you see your dragon. That is the deal."

Hiccup rammed more food into his mouth. "A year is the soonest I'll be able to see him?" He demanded, chewing.

Asgeirr nodded.

"And I've got to pass 10 Levels to complete Phase 1?" Hiccup asked.

Asgeirr nodded again.

"So I have a year to pass 10 Levels," Hiccup muttered, shoving some more eggs into his mouth. "Seems reasonable. What if I pass all 10 before the year is up?"

Asgeirr laughed amusedly. "You won't," he grinned.

Hiccup glared at him. "Maybe. But I want to see my dragon, and I'm going to work hard to do it in a year. So it may be sooner than you think. As you said, its motivation."

He guzzled the last of his milk, spilling some on the torso of his flight suit, which he was still wearing.

"Do I get any clothes to train in?" Hiccup demanded, as he looked at the sweaty mess that was his outfit.

"Yes," Asgeirr replied. "For Level 1 you are to wear that."

He pointed behind Hiccup. Hiccup turned in his chair and saw a suit of leather armor mounted on the wall next to his bed. It was identical to the kind that The Wolf wore in the training room the day previous.

Hiccup rammed the last of his eggs, cheese and grapes into his mouth in one bite. Then he stood up and walked across the room to his armor.

"Will it fit?" he asked, reaching for the leather.

"It should," Asgeirr said. "I saw how you were built for size yesterday, and I had that made accordingly. So it will be a perfect fit. Take off your clothes and put the armor on."

Hiccup complied. He removed his flight suit, shirt, and pants in order to put on the leather covering. Feeling it, Hiccup could tell that it was fairly smooth on the inside, but he could feel that the outer layer was strong and thick. It was a good, well made suit of light armor.

"You're even skinnier than I thought you were," Asgeirr mocked, as Hiccup stood shirtless. "It looks like a twig could beat you in an arm wrestling contest. Are you sure you'll be able to wear that armor without it weighing you down to the point of where you die from exhaustion?"

"Shut up, Asgeirr," Hiccup snapped, clicking the buckles of the suit into place. "I may not be very strong, but it's brains, not brawn, that I'll need for this Level."

"Where in Midgard did you get that idea?" Asgeirr demanded curiously.

"The Wolf is nothing but a savage brute," Hiccup replied, still putting on the armor. "While he does seem somewhat intelligent, I'm confident I can figure out a way to defeat him as soon as I can control my mind."

Hiccup paused, latching more parts of the leather to his body. Asgeirr said nothing, so he continued.

"So that's the first step, master my thoughts and discover how not to go mad in Ragnarok. Hence, brains." He tapped his head. "The brawn apparently doesn't matter at all. You said that a top notch warrior came in here and it took him three months to pass. If a guy with that kind of talent got destroyed by The Wolf for three whole months, then brawn obviously doesn't work too well. I'll need a different solution."

He finished putting on the armor, tying the final knots around his arms and wrists. Asgeirr still said nothing, and merely looked at Hiccup with an almost admiring expression. Hiccup was confused, but decided not to ask Asgeirr why. Instead, he changed the subject.

"No helmet?" he asked, plowing his fingers through his hair, which was still wet from his unpleasant dousing.

Asgeirr shook his head. "That's correct. No helmet. The Wolf likes having his student's heads bare when he trains them."

"Why? So that he can rip my skull off easier?" Hiccup demanded, sitting down to put on one of the shoes set out for him. He had no need for a cover on his prosthetic leg.

"Probably," Asgeirr shrugged. "I do not know why The Wolf does what he does. I just know that he does a good job, so I have no complaints."

"A good job beating people to bits," Hiccup complained, rising. He was now fully clothed in his new armor and ready to go. He began to walk to the door.

"One last bit of advice before you head to training, Riddari," Asgeirr commented, still sitting at the table. "Drink lots of water. Trust me, you'll want it."

Hiccup agreed. He went back to the table, picked up the cup that had contained his milk, and then filled it with cool water from a basin in the corner. He drank two cups, Asgeirr watching him intently. Hiccup finished and turned back to the man.

"Anything else you recommend?" he asked.

Asgeirr shook his head. "No. Head to Ragnarok." He took the cup, which was made of metal, from Hiccup's hands.

Hiccup walked over, opened the door to the hallway, ready to go back to the training room.

"Riddari!" Asgeirr shouted.

He looked back at Asgeirr, and failed to see the metal cup he had given him flying at his face. It struck him solidly in the nose, with enough force to stun him. He shouted in pain as the cup clanked to the floor.

"I am going to throw that cup at you at some point every morning," Asgeirr said emotionlessly, as Hiccup cradled his injured face. "You'll learn to catch it."

Hiccup touched his nose, and felt blood running down his lip. He was going to yell at Asgeirr, but restrained himself. Instead he raised his bloody lips in a snarl.

"Tell The Wolf I'm coming," he growled.

Asgeirr smiled. "He knows."


	11. fists and claws

Chapter 11: Fists and Claws

High Asgard, Day 6 since hiccup's Departure

Hiccup strode up to the door of his training room, called Ragnarok, wiping the fresh blood from his lips. Asgeirr had certainly thrown that cup hard, and he wondered if his nose had been broken. But it didn't really matter. He vowed to be ready for it next time. Stopping in front of the stone walls and thick door, Hiccup noticed a few changes from the previous day. The first was that above the door hung a wooden board which had letters etched in it. It said:

DAY 1, PHASE 1.

Hiccup stared at the sign for a minute. This was to be his calendar, apparently. It made him feel so far away from the end when he realized that he would probably be staring at one of these boards every day for the next several years. The thought was disheartening, and Hiccup pushed it from his mind before turning to examine the second change. Standing on either side of the door were two golden-clad guards, who wore the standard golden helmets and mail that he had been seeing ever since he arrived in Asgard. They each held a spear, and were standing as sentinels beside the door, quiet as death.

Hiccup did not even bother to try and talk to them, for he knew they would never answer. So instead he walked right up to the door and grabbed the knob.

Prepare your mind, he thought, as he twisted the handle and stepped into the room.

Immediately the horrible stench from the day before came to his nostrils, clogging his senses. He gagged, trying to eliminate the noxious fumes from entering his body and poisoning his mind. However, it was impossible. The smell was too intense. Once more the blood red color of the room began to affect his eyes and fog his senses, making him seethe with anger and hate, recalling distant, unpleasant memories of pain and a savage growl that sounded more beast then human, he stepped forward, trying to focus. The Wolf was standing in front of him, a smile on his ugly, hairy face.

"Welcome back, Riddari," it said, almost pleasantly.

Hiccup took an uncertain step closer to The Wolf, trying to master his thoughts. His mind was already getting foggy, and simply hearing the voice of The Wolf began to drive him into the same mindless rage from the previous evening. He desperately tried to blot it out, but then The Wolf suddenly sprang into action. Faster than Hiccup could see, he slammed his sharp claws and fist into Hiccup's chest, sliding through the leather armor like it was paper. The hand pierced his heart.

For a second all Hiccup felt was the decrease of air as he became unable to breathe. Then he felt a stab at his heart, his pulse vanished. Then pain. Complete, utter pain. He opened his mouth in a silent howl of agony, as The Wolf, with his hand still inside Hiccup's chest, stepped forward and spoke once more, using the hand buried in Hiccup's chest to hold him upright.

"Feel it, Riddari," he whispered. "Feel your pulse stop. Feel the life that was a few seconds ago coursing freely through your veins begin to seep away, taking your miserable life with it. Your heart is destroyed, and refuses to continue with your brain's desperate struggle for life. Feel it as the pain increases, slowly reminding you that you are to die. Feel it seep away, Riddari. This is what it feels like to cease to be, to be gone for all eternity."

Hiccup's vision was blurred, and he could barely hear The Wolf's voice in the fading blackness of his brain. The pain he felt in his chest was slowly fading. His mind seemed to drop into a great black hole of endless time and space. Everything he loved, everything he held dear, was slipping away from him. He saw his father smiling at the door of his house, welcoming him home. He saw Toothless sitting with a big goofy dragon grin, trying to convince him to give him more fish. Fishlegs was clapping him on the back, and Tuffnut was shouting random things. He saw Berk form above, and felt the wind whistle through his hair as he flew into a red sunset. The sky shimmered, and the smiling face of Astrid filled his vision. With a sly grin, she leaned in to kiss him, and then all went black. Hiccup lost connection to his body, the pain fading away and his eyesight waning into darkness.

And Hiccup died.

Hiccup felt like he was floating through the air, on mindless clouds of time and space. The blackness of death took him, but something was changing. Instead of the starry visions, a face appeared. It was The Wolf, and it was laughing at him.

Hiccup was abruptly jerked back to life. The pain in his chest once more took hold as his mind came back to his body. With a cry of both pain and shock, he fell to the floor in front of The Wolf. His chest was now fully healed, and The Wolf had his hand on the wrist buckler, having used it to restore Hiccup.

"Remember what it feels like to die, Riddari," The Wolf growled, as Hiccup twitched on the floor. "You shall experience it often. I am here to make you feel pain, and pain you shall have. Get up."

Hiccup forgot about the horror of death, and was once more filled with mindless rage. The Wolf became like a demon that haunted his thoughts. The red eyes and yellow fangs of the beast seemed to laugh at him from every corner of his mind, and it to mock his very existence. With a cry of fury, Hiccup leapt to his feet. He had lost his mind, and the only thing remaining to him was to kill The Wolf.

He bared his teeth in a snarl similar to that of his trainer's.

"I'm going to kill you," he growled.

The Wolf smiled.

"You will try, Riddari," he mocked. "You will try."

Just outside Berkian Waters, Day 6 since Hiccup's Departure

"Uhh, guys, I think Ruffnut and I are on the wrong head."

"No Tuffnut, you're not," Astrid snapped, not even bothering to turn around and look at the twins. "You're just upside down, like last time."

"Oh." Tuffnut said, realizing that Astrid was right. "Hey Belch, turn us back again."

"I liked being upside down," Ruffnut growled, as Belch tried to turn back up. "Barf, stay upside down."

The resulting argument was too much for Astrid to handle. She sighed and lay down on Stormfly, feeling the beat of the dragon's wings as she pulsed as fast as she could towards the Bog. Her axe was digging into her back, but she ignored it, blotting out the discomfort just as she was blotting out the twins constant bickering. The air whistled past her hair, and she relaxed into the warm afternoon sun. Then something passed over her eyes and slid onto her head.

She sat up with a start, feeling her head. Instead of hitting the skin of her forehead, her hand clanged against the cold metal of a war helmet. The air shimmered in front of her, and Stormfly swooped into the midst of a battle, where flying arrows whizzed and war cries echoed. A large, menacing castle loomed in front of an army of roaring dragons, and screams of dying men filled the skies.

Stormfly roared, a savage bellow that Astrid didn't think her dragon had in her. Then she twisted through the skies, flying above the action to where the black shape of a Night Fury loomed in the fading light of day. Stormfly cruised up next to Toothless, who Astrid realized was now a massive size. He was at least triple the size of Stormfly, and he appeared to be scowling at the result of the battle below. Hiccup was on his back, garbed in dark red and black armor with a masked helm. He looked like a menacing fighter.

He turned his head, and then snapped up the mask of his black helmet, revealing a big, Hiccuplike grin.

"Still alive, Milady?" he asked.

Astrid tried to speak, but she couldn't. Instead, words came unbidden to her lips.

"Of course," she laughed back. "I'm not going to getting killed any time soon, I hope. How does it look?"

"It looks like we've got it," Hiccup replied, looking back towards the battle. "But the western wall seems to be holding stronger than the others. I think Toothless and I will need to take care of it." Hiccup snapped his mask down and looked at his dragon. "You up for this, bud?" he asked the Night Fury. Toothless roared in excitement, shaking the air around the three riders.

Astrid tried to scream, "Don't go to the west wall!" But again, she couldn't say anything. Hiccup tugged on Toothless and the pair dove into the clouds, the roar of the Night Fury echoing in Astrid's ears.

Astrid shouted something to her dragon, and Stormfly twisted and followed Toothless through the skies, swooping through the white blur of the clouds and into the thick of a battle below, where nets flew and arrows buzzed past angrily. Toothless dodged through the projectiles easily, and the wind from his beating wings blasted Astrid, who was flying right behind the Night Fury.

As had occurred in all of Astrid's previous visions, Toothless weaved his way past the combat and dove through a thick cloud. Bursting into the clear on the other side, Astrid saw the Abyss that was destined to swallow Hiccup.

Toothless roared the horrifying Night Fury scream, which caused Astrid to grit her teeth and try ignore the discomfort in her ears. Then the black dragon fired a plasma blast, which smashed against the wall and caused men to scream and shout in agony. Stormfly added a few blasts of her own to the fray, while Astrid was desperately trying to warn Hiccup that bladed weapons would soon be fired at him. But words would not come out. She was helpless, having only the power to observe as the volley of bladed missiles was fired from the wall, creating a cloud of deadly obstacles in their path.

Stormfly shrieked and began to avoid the weapons. In front of her Toothless was doing the same, but the Night Fury's large size was a disadvantage. He was doing wonderfully, evading the weapons with smooth efficiency, but then, as Astrid always saw, the fateful shot struck home.

Black blood poured from the Night Fury as he was diced into pieces by the missile. Detached wings and legs flew in different directions, and a stream of hot blood was flung back into Astrid's face. She had nothing to block it with, and it smacked into face and body with a loud splat. It felt like liquid fire had been poured into her armor, and Astrid screamed in pain as it leaked into the eyes of her helmet and onto her face. It burned like acid.

She sat up on Stormfly with a scream, clawing at her face, where the helmet no longer existed. The pain from the hot blood was slowly fading, and Astrid was being brought back to reality. Stormfly squawked in alarm, and twisted her head to look at her rider.

"Astrid!" Fishlegs shouted, flying up next to her on Meatlug. "Are you all right?"

Astrid sat very still, gasping for breath.

"Astrid!" Fishlegs shouted, concerned.

Astrid slowly turned to look at him. They were still flying over the sea towards the Bog, and no dragon army, fortress, or Abyss was in sight. She took a deep breath and calmed herself.

"I'm all right," she replied. "I just – had a nightmare."

Fishlegs didn't look convinced.

"You look terrible, Astrid," he stated. "What were you dreaming about that made you pale as death?"

"Nothing," Astrid snapped. She was getting annoyed at Fishleg's inquisitiveness, and just wanted to calm down and think over what she had just seen.

Fishlegs shook his head.

"I don't get it, Astrid," he said, as Meatlug veered away. "You've been acting really weird since Hiccup left. Was it the strange rider you were dreaming about?"

"No," Astrid replied, plowing her hand through her blonde hair. "I really don't want to talk about it, Fishlegs. We'll have Hiccup back tomorrow, and then you won't have to worry about your dumb promise anymore. So forget it."

"She doesn't want to talk about it!" laughed Tuffnut, who was still cruising behind on Belch. "She must have been dreaming about her and Hiccup!"

Ruffnut chuckled, and the twins immediately began to mock Astrid and Hiccup's romantic life. Astrid did her best to ignore it as the three dragons streaked towards the Bog. She needed to see Hiccup as soon as possible, and make sure that he never, ever, went near a battle or an Abyss.


	12. am I safe

Chapter 12: Am I Safe?

High Asgard, Day 7 since Hiccup's Departure

Splash.

Ice cold water was once again thrown on Hiccup's head, wrenching him from the depths of sleep and causing him to snap upright in bed, cold streams pouring off his face and onto the white sheets of the bed. Standing next to him, with the now empty bucket, was Asgeirr. He had doused Hiccup once more.

"Get up, Riddari," he said, putting the pail down on the carpeted floor with a clunk. "Day 2 of your training begins now."

Hiccup took a deep breath, inhaling slowly and then exhaling with a grim sigh, the freezing water still dripping down his features. Without a word, he slid off the bed and walked over to the table, which, like the previous time, held plenty of good food. He sat down, but simply stared at the victuals and did not make any move to eat.

Asgeirr walked to the seat across from Hiccup and eased himself into it, staring intently at his student.

"What have you done to me?" Hiccup whispered, his lips barely moving. "I went mad yesterday, Asgeirr. I experienced more pain then you've probably ever felt in your life in a single day. It was the worst day I have ever had in my entire life. Why is this torture necessary?"

Asgeirr looked at Hiccup steadily before replying.

"Riddari, I of all people know that this is needed, for I have certainly undergone more pain than you have. Pain is a strange thing, and death is even more so. As such, they are different. Death does not need to be practiced; after all, once you step out of that room, you only get to die once. But pain is something you must learn to tolerate, even in the greatest quantities. I know how grotesque and agonizing your deaths in Ragnarok have been, Riddari. I monitor every second of your training, and it is hard to watch a body endure the treatment that The Wolf is giving you. But keep in mind that The Wolf has nothing, no being, no soul, and cannot ever feel sorry for you. He only seeks to make you feel pain, and to enjoy himself while doing it."

Hiccup slammed his hand into the table.

"I don't care about the pain!" he screamed, his cracked voice echoing throughout the room. "The pain I can take! It is the insanity I am alarmed about! I am not myself when I am in that horrific room, Asgeirr! It is like my mind is erased, every emotion I normally feel stripped from me. Nothing I can think of or do can prevent it. I become a madman, Asgeirr, and I am already losing my character. I no longer feel like the same person I was when I met you for the first time two days ago. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?"

Asgeirr remained expressionless.

"The first step to becoming a capable warrior and rider is learning to control your mind," he stated icily. "This goal is what the Level is trying to achieve. The Wolf does not use any magical charms or devices that take hold of your mind. He uses the exact same method that Hel uses in the Underworld of Niflheim. Both The Wolf and Hel use the past, the emotions of a being and use it to utterly vanquish their desire for anything except one thing, which they bind to in order to live. In your case it is the death of The Wolf."

Hiccup placed his head in his hands and moaned. Asgeirr continued.

"That is why it is so imperative to gain control of your thoughts, Riddari. Hel has not yet discovered how to alter the minds of humans, like The Wolf has. Instead, she has only the power to manipulate dragons, and she uses that to destroy the world. However, we think it likely that she will soon be able to control the minds of men, and as a result we must have you properly prepared."

Hiccup looked up from his hands. "So I, like all the dragons that slaughtered Vikings on Berk for generations, am under the control of The Wolf, just as those dragons were under control of the Red Death?" He asked bitterly.

Asgierr nodded. "That is correct, Riddari."

"So how am I not completely insane already?" Hiccup demanded. "I mean, The Wolf has control over me, does he not? Why am I still somewhat free to think what I will, like right now?"

Asgeirr frowned, confused. "He does have control over you, Riddari, but only when you are in that room. No one in all the realms, Odin included, is powerful enough to be able to take over a human's thoughts by himself. In fact, we believe it is possible to do it without the proper setting, like smells and sights, which is why The Wolf uses them in your case. This means that The Wolf only has you at his mercy while you are in Ragnarok, and when you leave, it vanishes. However," -and here he leaned forward to emphasize- "you must understand that his training does slowly eat away at your mind. Eventually, even when you leave that room, you will still be insane, and all hope of returning to what you once were will be gone. You must never allow The Wolf to reach that extremity."

Hiccup stared in disbelief. "So if I take too long to kill him, I will lose myself completely?" he demanded.

Asgeirr grimaced, leaning back once more. "In short, yes. It is hard to say how long it will take, Riddari, for it depends on the general mold and structure of your mind. But based on what Odin's seer has revealed, I'm guessing that if you spend more than five months in there, then your entire being will vanish."

"Dear Gods above," Hiccup moaned, picking up his food and starting to eat. "This is outrageous, Asgeirr. I mean, it's the stupidest training I've ever heard of! What if I spend too long trying to slay The Wolf? I will no longer be anything, just a crazed lunatic with one pointless goal. I will not be able save Midgard, as the prophecy foretells. I think that this is excessively dangerous, Asgeirr, not just for me, but for the lives of every man, woman, and child on Midgard! Too much is at stake for you to be toying with my mind like it is something to be experimented on."

"If you cannot kill The Wolf before you lose your being, then you are not worthy to be a Riddari of Asgard," Asgeirr replied simply. "And if you are not a worthy Riddari, then Midgard is doomed regardless of whether you live or not. That prophecy is not etched in stone, Riddari. Fate is fate, but it can have a cruel sense of humor. Nothing is ever certain." He leaned forward once more. "You must not fail us, Riddari. Kill The Wolf."

Hiccup continued to eat, not looking at Asgeirr. "I was in that Hellish room for twelve hours," he mumbled through his full mouth. "And I never even got close to harming The Wolf in any way, let alone killing him. I need aweapon."

Asgeirr laughed. "Be resourceful, Riddari. The guards will see to it that you bring no weapons at all into that room, but you can figure something out."

Hiccup did not reply. He grabbed the metal cup to drink, and as he did so he was reminded of the fact that Asgeirr was going to throw it at him sometime this morning. He vowed to himself to be ready for it when it happened.

"So I have to kill The Wolf with my bare hands?" Hiccup asked, after he had drained his milk and put the cup down.

"That's right," Asgeirr replied. "You will have no outside resources for this Level."

Hiccup shook his head in doubt. "Can you at least tell me how the elf that trained here earlier managed to defeat The Wolf?"

Asgeirr smiled. "No, Riddari, I cannot. But I can tell you that he learned to master his mind before he could do it. That is the only clue I can give you, and as far as I know it is the only way to ever win."

There was silence for a long time as Hiccup merely ate his food and said nothing more. Asgeirr did not press him, and Hiccup kept his mouth full, so he was unable to speak. When he was finished, he got up, went to the same basin of water that he had gone to the previous day, and filled the metal cup with water. He then took a long drink, reminding himself that the day ahead was going to be just as horrible as the last time. Setting the metal cup down with a dull clang, he strode over to his armor which had been re-hung in its place on the wall.

The once menacing leather armor now looked sad and ghastly. A thousand gashes and tears in the leather marred its original appearance, but it had been expertly sewed back together, apparently during the night. Most interestingly, however, was the color of the armor. Instead of the clean, light brown from yesterday, the leather was now a darker, almost reddish hue. Looking closer, Hiccup saw that the color had been caused by the massive amounts of blood he had lost the day previous. It had seeped into the armor and stained it, most likely permanently.

Hiccup turned around to look at Asgeirr, who was still sitting where he had left him.

"Who repaired this?" he asked, gesturing to the suit.

"The girl, Odin's Little Seer," Asgeirr replied. "You should appreciate the effort she put in to fixing that thing. It was a mess when you took it off yesterday. In Ragnarok wounds can heal, but clothing and equipment cannot be mended."

Hiccup spat in disgust.

"Appreciate it?" he growled angrily. "I would haveappreciatedit if she hadn't just let everyone know about my life, especially you. You told The Wolf, and he is using my past to destroy me from the inside. Odin's little seer needs to keep quiet about what she knows."

Hiccup stopped, and then chuckled. "She said when she first met me that she didn't think I could break her neck. If I saw her today, I sure as Hel would."

Hiccup began to put on the armor, taking off his shirt.

Asgeirr spoke again, talking to Hiccup's back.

"On the subject of necks, you should really remove that necklace of yours," he remarked. "If you hold that Nadder scale in such high esteem, then it would be unwise to bring it to another day of training. It will get destroyed very soon, if I know The Wolf. I am surprised it's not gone already."

Hiccup paused for a second, and then nodded in agreement. He took off Astrid's gift and, after a quick glance at it, started to toss it on the bed, near his pillow.

"Riddari," Asgeirr interrupted. Hiccup paused.

"Can I see it?" Asgeirr asked, extending a palm.

Hiccup frowned. "Sure, but if you damage it or steal it I'll murder you on the spot."

Asgeirr laughed. "It would be funny to watch you try, Hiccup. But I will not steal it or harm it, I promise you. Come, let me examine it."

Hiccup tossed the trinket over to Asgeirr, becoming aware that Asgeirr had called him 'Hiccup' instead of the usual title of 'Riddari.' Ignoring it, he began to don the armor. The stench of sweat was gone, so the leather had apparently been cleaned, but the bloodstains were so thick they had not come out. It made him feel unnerved as he put on the armor, as if the blood was trying to remind him of the pain and insanity of Ragnarok.

Behind him Asgeirr was looking at the Nadder scale, his finger tracing the smooth surface.

"She's beautiful," he commented, looking at the drawing of Astrid on the front of the shiny blue surface. "Odin's Little Seer told me about her, but I obviously cannot form a complete mental picture myself." He paused, studying the scale.

"Is that what you call her?" Hiccup asked, still facing away from Asgeirr. "Odin's Little Seer, I mean?"

Asgeirr shrugged, placing Hiccup's scale on the table. "Aye, that's whatIcall her. Everyone around here seems to have a different name for her."

"She has no name?" Hiccup asked.

"None at all," Asgeirr responded, leaning back and placing his hands behind his head.

"Then who in the name of Thor is she?" Hiccup demanded, finishing buckling on the armor and turning back to look at his trainer. "She must be incredibly powerful if she can look into my past, but she also possesses the sweet innocence of a young girl, and I cannot believe that one so small could have so much knowledge. She's not human, is she?"

Asgeirr shook his head. "She is not, Riddari. In fact, no one, not even the AllFather Odin, knows exactly what she is. She was accidentally created by Odin during a complex magical experiment. It scared everyone on Asgard, simply knowing that life could be created by something other than natural causes. But it soon became apparent that she was not anaturalcreature. Her abilities were very unique, and her mind, even though it is permanently young, was more developed than most grown men at the time she came to be. Over the years her intelligence has but increased. She is so strange that I could talk about her for a year and you'd still be fascinated by what I told you. It unnerves me to look at her, for she seems so above my comprehension that I feel insignificant. Because of that I don't like her at all."

"That makes two of us," Hiccup snapped, tying the knots on his shoe. "I don't care if she's human or not, she can't go sticking her nose into my personal life and then handing it out like its dirt. How old is she, anyway? She looks like she's only ten or eleven."

Asgeirr hooted, his deep laugh echoing in the small room. "Ten or eleven," he chuckled. "No, Riddari. Her looks are deceiving, for she is actually unbelievably aged. She was here even before I was."

Hiccup frowned. "Before you were here? How oldareyou, Asgeirr?"

Asgeirr grinned. "I am 564 years old, Hiccup."

Hiccup's jaw dropped in amazement. "What?" he gasped.

"I am 564 years old, Riddari," Asgeirr laughed. "For mortals, that amount of time is an eternity. But for the Gods, it is a merely blink of an eye."

Hiccup walked over to Asgeirr and looked down at the man in his chair, examining him carefully.

"I could tell that the little girl was not human," Hiccup remarked, "but you look exactly like a normal man, Asgeirr. I would never have guessed that you were anything else, someone that could live 564 years and still looking like he's thirty. What are you, Asgeirr? How did you live so long? Are you a God yourself, like Odin or Thor?"

"That," Asgeirr said, rising to his feet, "Is a secret and must remain so until your entire training is complete. Only then can you understand." Hiccup once again felt dwarfed by the man's tremendous size, for he towered over Hiccup like he was a baby. Asgeirr reached for Astrid's Nadder scale and began to toss it back to Hiccup. Right before it left his hand, however, he whirled around, and in the blink of an eye, snatched the metal cup from where Hiccup had left it and hurled it at Hiccup's face, from a range of three feet.

Hiccup saw it coming but was too slow to catch it. It collided with his face with a sickening thud, hurling him to the floor, where he hit the carpeting with a thud. He remained very still, and felt blood trickling from his cheekbone.

"I would be really angry at you right now," he mumbled into the red carpeting. "But The Wolf hurts me so badly that that feels like a kiss."

Asgeirr chuckled, still standing above Hiccup. "The cup isn't supposed to hurt you, Riddari," he said. "I only throw it at you to train your reflexes. As I said yesterday, you'll learn to catch it."

Hiccup grunted, pushing himself off the floor. "You know, Asgeirr," he said, "that the bruises I get from that blasted cup don't heal in Ragnarok?"

"Of course," Asgeirr replied, as Hiccup stood. "Only the injuries you sustain in Ragnarok are healed by the room. That means that your face will be black and blue regardless of how many times The Wolf heals you. Deal with it." He handed the Nadder scale to Hiccup, who took it.

Hiccup shrugged, wiping the blood off his cheekbone and tossing the scale on his pillow. "Oh well," he muttered sarcastically. "I'm going to go back the loving mercies of The Wolf. Wish me luck."

Bog Burglar Island, Day 7 since Hiccup's Departure

"Astrid! Bog Burglar Island is 13.83 degrees to the east!"

Astrid looked towards the speaker. It was Fishlegs, staring through the glass of a miniature telescope. He pointed into the distance, and Astrid spun her own scope to where he was gesturing, having no idea what 13.83 degrees meant. Sure enough, an island loomed over the horizon, partially wrapped in a dense fog. They had reached Bog Burglar Island.

Astrid laughed exultingly. "Ha ha!" she shouted. "That was a fast trip! Let's land, get Hiccup, and get out as quick as we can!"

"But I've heard the people there are crazy," Ruffnut whined, who was flying right behind Astrid. "I love crazy. Can we stay for at least an hour or two? Maybe we can learn some new stuff."

The three riders turned their dragons towards the island, and Astrid replied.

"Absolutely NOT, Ruff. I wouldn't trust the Boggies with two minutes of my time, let alone two hours. They'll probably steal everything we have just in the short time I'm hoping to spend there. Money pouches, weapons, and helmets are the things they steal normally. Watch out or they'll also take your underwear."

Tuffnut laughed, his guffaw penetrating the wind that howled in their ears. "THAT would be truly awesome!" he shouted. "I mean, I wouldn't like having my underwear gone, but just knowing that a girl reached down there and took it would be enough. YES!" He pumped his fists. "I already like the Bog Burglars, Ruff."

Astrid rolled her eyes and moaned. Taking the twins had been SUCH a bad idea.

"Uhh, Astrid," Fishlegs called in alarm, still looking through his spyglass. "You might want to take a look at this."

"What is it?" Astrid demanded, staring ahead at the island, which was rapidly getting larger in the distance.

"Look," Fishlegs replied. He sounded very concerned. "I don't know, but that doesn't seem very good."

Astrid whipped her scope up to her eye. Staring ahead through the dim mist, she could barely see the village on Bog Burglar Island. Looking closer at the area, she gasped in astonishment.

Surrounding the entire village were garrisons of newly made platforms and outposts. Each one was strongly constructed, and consisted of a platform armed heavily with new weaponry, all of which were designed for defense against dragons. Bola launchers, large quivers of arrows, and towers designed for lighting the village at night were all over the place, and all of them looked like they were made recently. Peering closer, she could see construction going on in every corner of the village. Equipment was being built and trees were being felled all over. The Bog Burglars were preparing for a dragon attack.

Astrid swore loudly, her sharp voice cutting through the air and making Stormfly look back at her in alarm.

"Stop!" Astrid shouted. "All of you! Stop flying and get behind the clouds on the left! Move, if you value your life!"

Even the twins knew when Astrid was not to be questioned. Immediately the three dragons banked sharply to left and streaked for the nearest cloud. Astrid doubted that anyone on the Bog had seen them, and she wanted to keep it that way. If they were building weapons, then things could be very serious. In a few more seconds, the riders passed behind the cloud and were now completely invisible from the island.

"Astrid, what's up?" Ruffnut demanded, her joking attitude gone. The dragons stopped flying and began to hover in midair, staying under the cover of the clouds.

Astrid sat in her saddle, gasping in horror. "Oh my Gods," she whispered. "They captured Hiccup. They took him. They captured him and Toothless and now they're getting ready to fight us. Oh no, no, no no," She buried her head in her hands.

"Uhh, Fishlegs," Tuffnut asked, clearly concerned. "What did you see on that island?"

Fishlegs played with the leather of his saddle nervously. "I saw lots of bola launchers, arrows, and dragon killing machines," he said, paling in fear. "Also, the Boggies are cutting lots of wood in order to build more stuff. Their houses have been layered with extra timber to make them stronger, and there's a lot of smoke coming from their forge. I saw absolutely no sign of Hiccup or Toothless."

"And what does that mean?" Ruffnut asked, totally confused.

Fishlegs looked up.

"It means they're getting ready for a serious dragon raid," he stated. "All those new defenses are specifically designed to have the best angle on every kind of aerial attack. The wood they've been using to build it is fresh pine, which is harder to burn, meaning that's also for defense against dragons. What's more, their forge is making weapons like crazy, based on the smoke. They are preparing for a massive dragon attack, and they're doing it very, very fast."

"So wait, they knew that we were coming, and they're getting ready for us, so they can kill us?" Ruffnut asked, confused.

"No," Fishlegs said, turning to look at her. "This means that as soon as Hiccup got here about a week ago, they've been making weapons and preparing for a dragon assault. I have no idea why."

Astrid spoke again, with dread in her voice. "What if Hiccup is captured?" she whispered. "What if they shot him down on sight, realized that he was the heir to Berk, and took him prisoner? Then they thought that as soon as we found out they captured our heir, we would attack them with our dragon riders. So they began to get ready, not for just a simple raid, but for war."

Everyone was quiet for a moment, considering the possibility. Then Fishlegs shook his head.

"That's a possibility, Astrid," he admitted.

"And it's even possible that they killed Hiccup," Tuffnut added with horror.

"No!" Astrid screamed. "They can't have killed him! No! They didn't kill him!"

Fishlegs frowned.

"They could have killed Hiccup," he said quietly. "But it's not a likely chance, in my opinion. What I think happened is that the Boggies called him over here not to teach them about dragons, but instead to stop dragon raids that they've been receiving over the last few months. So Hiccup took over the defenses and started to get them ready for war. There may be another Queen Dragon out there, like the Red Death, and it's having the dragons attack the Bog. So maybe Hiccup's only trying to help, and those dragon killing machines aren't a threat to us at all."

"Well, why wouldn't he send a Terror back to Berk with a message?" Astrid asked, regaining her composure. "If the situation was as bad as that, then Hiccup would try to let us know somehow, so we could help him."

Secretly she was relieved that Fishlegs might be correct. If Hiccup had been captured or killed by the Bog Burglars, she would be utterly devastated. That could not have happened. It couldn't have â

Fishlegs shrugged. "Who knows, Astrid? If my theory is correct, then the Terrors may have been under the influence of the Queen, and Hiccup may not have been able to get one. Also, it's a long flight from here to Berk, especially for a small dragon like the terrible Terror. He may not have thought it a wise idea."

Astrid began to breathe again.

"Okay, Fishlegs. So you think that Hiccup is still alive, not captured, and those dragon defenses have nothing to do with us?"

Fishlegs nodded. "I do. There's no reason why they should kill Hiccup, and a thousand reasons why they should keep him alive. I say we land, but we should be careful. Maybe one of us should stay out of range so that if we're captured or killed, they can return to Berk and warn the tribe."

Astrid agreed. "Right. Ruffnut, Tuffnut, you guys stay where you can see the island, but make sure you can't be hit by anything that gets shot at you. Fishlegs and I will land and see what in the name of the Gods is actually happening down there."

"What?" Ruffnut shouted. "You're leaving us behind while you get to have all the fun? I don't want to stay!"

"Yeah!" Tuffnut added. "I won't stay either! I want to get my underpants stolen!"

Astrid's temper snapped. She was worried about Hiccup's life, and having the twins begin to argue with her was too much to take.

"LISTEN, YOU MUTTONHEADS!" She shouted. "This is not a joke! Hiccup may be captured, and if we're not careful about how we land, they'll be stealing your heads, not your underpants! I need to take Fishlegs so that he can tell me what's going on, and taking you guys is absolutely senseless. Since one of us needs to stay behind, it might as well be you two."

"Uhh, I'll be more than happy to stay behind, Astrid," Fishlegs mumbled nervously. "I mean, I don't want to go face a whole bunch of crazy women who we may or may not be at war with already. The twins can go if they want."

Astrid sighed. "I need to take you down there, Legs. Only you can understand what's really happening on the island. And I need to go too, since I've been given the title of Representative. So that leaves only the twins."

"Well, both of us don't have to stay," Tuffnut argued. "I could go, and Ruffnut can stay behind with Barf and Belch. She's more useless than I am."

"But I want to go, too!" Ruffnut snarled, bashing her head against her brother's. "I say YOU stay behind, and I should go!"

"We'll gamble," Tuffnut announced. "If you can make me see stars before I make you see stars, then I get to go. If not, then you can go. This way-"

BAM!

Tuffnut received a thunderous crash on the side of his helmet, so hard he nearly fell out of the saddle. Ruffnut had hit him with her spear, almost knocking him out.

"Oh, yeah," Tuffnut mumbled, swaying from side to side. "Definitely stars. I have failed the Gods of hurting. You go ahead, Ruff. I will wait and absorb the beautiful pain."

He stopped swaying and started rubbing his head instead.

"Fine," Astrid snapped. "Ruffnut, jump on Meatlug and let's go."

Ruffnut did as was asked. She leapt of Barf and landed neatly behind Fishlegs, making sure she had her spear with her.

"All right, Tuffnut," Astrid informed the male twin, who was still rubbing his bruised head. "Make sure you stay out of range, and if you see anything dangerous happen to us, just turn around and fly right back to Berk. Let them know what happened. But I'm hoping that we won't have to go to that extremity. All right, Tuff? Are you listening to me?"

"Yep, yep, yep," Tuffnut replied. "And I'm still seeing stars. That's what I'm talking about, Ruff. Go get em. I will wait."

"All right," Astrid took a deep breath. "Listen up, Fishlegs and Ruff. As soon as they see us, they may fire on us. So if that happens, try to escape and then get out of range. Be aware that if you get shot down, then it's likely that no one is going to help you. Keep that in mind. If all goes well, then we'll land, get Hiccup, and leave. Leave all the talking to me. Got it?"

"Yes, mother," Ruffnut moaned. "We get it."

"Then let's go."

With a flap of wings, Meatlug and Stormfly dove into the clouds and emerged on the other side, in view of Bog Buglar Island. Both Astrid and Fishlegs raised their spyglasses to get a closer look at what was happening.

"They haven't seen us yet," Astrid observed, as they flew closer and closer. "Let's see what happens when they do. Blow the horn, Fishlegs."

Putting down his spyglass, Fishlegs reached into Meatlug's saddlebag and pulled out the Berkian horn. Raising it to his lips, he blew a powerful blast, which echoed off the sea below and made Astrid's ears ache. She ignored it, however, and concentrated on watching the activity of the Island below.

Fishlegs blew another blast on the horn. Astrid, staring through the scope, saw the villagers race from their work, looking in their direction. They were all running to the dragon defense weapons.

"They're getting ready to shoot at us!" Astrid shouted to her companions. "Keep going, but as soon as they fire at us, GET OUT! Do you hear me!"

"Trust me, we won't need any encouraging!" Fishlegs shouted back.

The two dragons were now getting very close to the Bog. Astrid saw through her spyglass that the Bog Burglars had all taken up positions behind their bola launchers, and some had grabbed bows. However, they were now in range, and nothing was being fired at them.

Soon they were so close Astrid didn't need her scope anymore. With a quick toss, she dropped it in her bag. Still there was no sign of Hiccup or Toothless. Things were getting very odd. She snapped her flight mask back over her face, getting ready for action.

Stormfly spread her wings and angled herself towards the docks, Meatlug following. She noticed that a large crowd of Bog Burglars had gathered around the area. Apparently they would be the center of attention when they landed.

BOOM. Stormfly landed smoothly on the wooden planks of the Bog Burglar dock, and Meatlug followed. Astrid pulled her axe from her back, looking down at the assembled crowd. In the middle was Big Boobied Bertha herself, armed to the teeth in battle armor and fully equipped with swords, axes, and knives. Beside her stood a tall, beautiful girl who looked to be about Astrid's age. Astrid assumed it was Bertha's daughter, Camicazi. She was also armed, but her outfit consisted of a completely black suit, lots of knives, and two swords. She had no axe.

Astrid raised the mask of her helmet and slid off Stormfly, her leather boots making a soft clunk as her feet touched Bog Burglar soil. Behind her Ruffnut and Fishlegs were doing the same.

No one in the large crowd in front of her said anything. They simply stood still, looking at Astrid with grim looks on their faces. They also looked very tired.

Astrid took a step forward, and felt relieved when Fishlegs and Ruffnut stepped behind her, one on either side. It made her feel more secure. She raised her flight mask and addressed Big Boobied Bertha.

"I am Astrid Hofferson," she stated icily. "I am a representative of the Island of Berk, under the chieftainship of Stoick the Vast. As such, I have been charged to come to your island and retrieve Stoick's only son and heir, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, for reasons of the utmost importance. I demand that I see him immediately. Where is he?"

Big Boobied Bertha spoke. She sounded very grim.

"It is an honor to welcome you to our Island, Hofferson," she stated. "However, your business may not be as simple as you had hoped. There has been a situation, and it will take some time to explain. Will you join me in the Great Hall for some ale, where we can discuss this in better comfort?"

"I don't see what there is to explain," Astrid replied, her tone becoming fiercer. "I am here to remove Hiccup from your charge, and I need to see him at once, before I discuss anything whatever with anyone. You must understand that we, having arrived to see you fully prepared for a dragon onslaught, are considerably suspicious of your intentions. So I'm going to ask you again. WHERE IS HICCUP?"

Bib Boobied Bertha stepped forward.

"Bear with us, Hofferson," she commanded stonily. "Your heir is not here right now. It is impossible for you to see him, but this is not the best place to discuss it. I will explain what we know in the Great Hall. Please, follow me."

She turned her back on Astrid and began to make her way up from the docks, in the direction of their Great Hall. The villagers parted, allowing Astrid and her companions to walk through the crowd and up to the main area of the village. Astrid hesitated, and Fishlegs leaned in to whisper to her.

"This is exactly how they would act if my theory is correct," he said quietly. "I suspect no foul play. Let's go."

Astrid nodded. "Ruff, you stay with the dragons. Legs and I will go and confer with Big Boobied Bertha. If we don't come out after half an hour, then get on the dragons and run."

Ruffnut swallowed. "Umm, Astrid, are we safe here?" she whispered.

"I don't know," Astrid replied, walking over to Stormfly's saddlebags. She was aware of every villager's eyes on her as she opened the bag and removed the message that had been sent by the rider of the Skrill. Folding it, she put in her own pouch. Then she turned and gestured to Fishlegs.

"Let's go."


	13. hope and disaster

Chapter 13: Hope and Disaster

Bog Burglar Island, Day 7 since Hiccup's Departure

Astrid walked up to the table, behind which Big Boobied Bertha, the legendary warrior and chieftain of the Big Burglar tribe, was standing to honor their presence. Sitting next to the large woman was her daughter Camicazi, who had gorgeous long blonde hair and brown eyes. Despite her beauty, however, she still looked very menacing, and Astrid noticed that she had one of her hands concealed under the table. She probably held a weapon in that hand, ready to strike. Behind the Bog Burglar chief were three or four armed guards, all female. Around the table were not benches, but instead chairs, which made the situation more professional. It was going to be an important discussion.

Astrid was very untrusting, and she did not pretend otherwise. Reaching the table, she said nothing, but grabbed the chair assigned for her and spun it around, so that the back was against the table. She straddled the chair and sat so that the back of the seat would be a protection against any attacks she might receive. It was not much of a defense, but more importantly, it made a point; that Astrid was treating the Bog Burglars as a threat. Bertha noticed, but said nothing. She merely sat down as well, her seat creaking as it took on her weight.

There were two chairs set out for Ruffnut and Fishlegs, but only Fishlegs decided to sit. He took the chair to Astrid's left, but, instead of copying Astrid's behavior, sat down casually like he was merely getting a meal in the Great Hall back on Berk. Ruffnut chose not to sit, and instead stepped forward to stand behind Astrid, posing as a bodyguard, her spear in hand.

Astrid was surprised, because Ruffnut was usually too foolish to think of anything as wise as that. She also liked the idea, for now no one could attack her from the behind. Even the twins could be smart when they needed to be.

Big Boobied Bertha looked steadily at Astrid and Fishlegs, and then back up to Ruffnut, who had her spear in hand and was tense.

"I do not think weapons will be necessary, Hofferson," She stated firmly, taking her eyes off Ruffnut and moving them back to Astrid.

Astrid was surprised at Bertha's mild tone; usually the chieftains or representatives yelled at each other during discussions to try and express their dominance and power. In this instance, there was no aggression in Bertha's tone, although she was staring at Astrid like she was a demon straight from Helheim itself.

Astrid answered the question by pulling her axe off her back and laying it on the table in front of her with a thud. She then closed her fist around the handle while making direct eye contact with Bertha. There was a long pause, and then Astrid spoke, still glaring at the Bog Burglar Chieftain.

"I would be inclined todisagreewith you, Chief Bertha," she said stonily, keeping her hand on her axe to let them know she was still wary. "You yourself seemed to think weapons would be necessary when we arrived, or else your people would never have run to the bolas and other weaponry as we flew in. They did so even after we blew the Berkian horn, proving that we were allies. I came here with the intent of meeting with our heir, Hiccup, and then escorting him back to Berk at once, and made no action that could have made you resort to those measures. You can understand, I hope, that we were not exactlyencouragedto lay down arms by the welcome we got. But this quibble is all beside the point, Chief Bertha. I have one simple question for you. WHERE IS HICCUP?"

The high tension between the two Vikings was broken by the arrival of a server, who was carrying a tray of mugs and ale. She placed five tankards on the table, one for each person present. This was a sign of hospitality, meaning that the Bog Burglars were still treating Astrid and her companions with respect. Big Boobied Bertha picked up her mug and raised it. It was customary for all guests from other tribes to drink with the host, and Astrid saw no reason to refuse. So she reached for her mug to drink.

However, Ruffnut seized Astrid's hand before she could touch the cup, and then picked it up herself. Looking right at Bertha, Ruffnut raised the cup to her own lips, took a sip and waited for a moment before handing it back to Astrid. Astrid felt like a fool; she should have checked to see if it was poisoned. It would be exactly the kind of thing the Bog Burglars would do. Fishlegs, next to her, winced audibly at Ruffnut's blatant mistrust.

Ruffnut's action certainly did not go unnoticed. It was considered terrible conduct to taste the drinks for poison during a discussion between allied tribes, like Berk and the Bog. Camicazi, the daughter of Bertha, snarled in anger at the obvious insult to their honor.

Astrid spared a mocking glance at Camicazi before taking a drink of the ale in her tankard. Big Boobied Bertha did the same, and so did Camicazi, who was glaring daggers at Astrid while she drank. Fishlegs never drank alcohol and swore he never would, but even he politely took a sip, maybe in an attempt to erase the sting of Ruffnut's offense. Ruffnut, despite being a lover of ale, left hers untouched.

Big Boobied Bertha put her tankard down, having drank about half of her entire mug. Astrid followed suit, still watching the Bog Burglars like a hawk.

"All right, Hofferson," Big Boobied Bertha stated calmly. The beer seemed to have made her relax. "You have insulted us three times in the last minute by insinuating that we are not to be trusted. The suspicion about our weapons, your persistence in keeping your axe at the table, and having our drinks tested for poison were all completely uncalled for. However, the only reason I have not chopped your head off for it was because we can understand your position. We are allies, and I need to stress that-"

"I am not interested in beating around the bush," Astrid snapped, her voice sharp as a knife. "I am only interested in ONE THING! WHERE IS BERK'S HEIR?!"

Ruffnut growled to emphasize the question, and Bertha sighed deeply before answering.

"We do not know, Hofferson."

Astrid glowered in anger, her fingers tightening on her axe. "What?" she demanded harshly, scraping the blade of her axe across the table. "What do you mean, you don't know where he is? He arrived here last week, did he not? What happened to him?!"

Bertha spoke again, and Astrid could see fury veiled in her eyes.

"Hiccup arrived here at the island five days ago," she stated, her voicerising with anger. "We welcomed him and his dragon with open arms, and he spent one night with us, planning to teach us how to train dragons and fly them on the next day. Sure enough, he began a demonstration the following morning. However, while he was flying," and here Bertha shook her head, as if she couldn't believe what she was saying – "a giant cyclone of water appeared from above the sea, and enveloped him and his dragon while they were flying. When it dissipated, Hiccup and the Night Fury were gone."

Astrid stared at Bertha for about five full seconds. Then she spoke.

"Are you telling me that some kind of giant circle of water came down from the sky and sucked our heir into the clouds?" she asked, incredulously.

Bertha sighed deeply. "I knew you would never believe us when we told you. Yes, that is what appeared to happen. I saw it myself, and so did everyone on this island."

There was a moment of stunned silence, and then Ruffnut exploded.

"WHAT!" she roared, laughing like she was possessed. "A big giant ball of water appeared from nowhere and sucked a Night Fury and his rider into the clouds and took him away? WHAT UTTER YAKSHIT!" She doubled over, roaring with laughter.

Astrid did not laugh. She was simply sitting with her mouth open, and Fishlegs was staring as well. The explanation was the most absurd thing the Bog Burglars could have come up with. They had to be lying. Astrid exploded as well, but in a different manner.

"Are you demented?!" she shouted at Bertha. "You couldn't come up with a better lie than THAT!? That is the most RIDICULOUS NONSENSE I HAVE EVER HEARD! Sucked up by a giant cyclone, are you yak-shitting me? That is the worst, stupidest, and dumbest lie that you could possibly created! Talk about an insult to a tribe! If you expected us to believe THAT, then you are out of your mind!"She leapt from her chair, seizing her axe. "What did you do to Hiccup!?" she yelled.

Big Boobied Bertha finally snapped, her voice booming throughout the Great Hall. "I SWEAR TO YOU ON THE HONOR OF ALL BOG BURGLARS THAT WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR HEIR'S DISAPPEARANCE!" she bellowed, in voice so loud that it hurt Astrid's ears. "I HAVE TOLD YOU NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, HOFFERSON!"

Astrid whipped her axe over her head and slammed it into the table, the blade burying itself to the handle in the solid oak. Both Fishlegs and Camicazi leapt to their feet, and both revealed that they had been holding weapons in their laps the entire time. Fishlegs had his war hammer, and Camicazi was wielding a menacing curved sword.

"THE HONOR OF THE BOG BURGLARS ISN'T FIT TO CALL ON!" Astrid roared, as the guards stationed behind Big Boobied Bertha drew their swords and ran forward to protect their chief. "I DEMAND TO KNOW WHAT YOU DID TO HIM! WHERE IS HE IMPRISONED?!"

In reply, Big Boobied Bertha grabbed the table and flipped it, forcing Astrid to wrench her axe out of the wood as it crashed to the ground, ale flying from the mugs and splashing all over, some of it getting on the Berkians. With the table upturned on the floor, there was not much left between the two parties. Big Boobied Bertha was on one side, her axe in her hand. Beside her was Camicazi, and four guards were also backing them. On the opposite side there was only Astrid, Fishlegs, and Ruffnut, all ready to fight for their lives.

Astrid was about to scream at Bertha again, but Fishlegs stopped her, and spoke for the first time.

"Listen to me," he said calmly. "Seriously, Chief Bertha, can we just throw out the lies? I'm sorry, but cyclones do not magically appear from the sky and take people. What really happened?"

Instead of Bertha, Camicazi answered.

"We are telling the truth," she snarled. "I know it sounds dumb and stupid, but that's really what happened! We knew you would never believe us, so we began to prepare for the ultimate end. You will no doubt blame us for the disappearance of your heir, and therefore you will wage war on us immediately. That is why we built the weapons, to defend our island when you attack us! We are telling you nothing but the truth, you - you - whoever you are."

"My name is Fishlegs," Fishlegs replied coolly. "And since I can see that you will not reverse your statement about Hiccup, let me make one thing quite clear. As soon as we return to Berk with the story you just told us, then Stoick the Vast, our chief, will attack you with everything he has, which is a lot. Even your new dragon defenses will do nothing against our onslaught. I would advise that if you are lying and have Hiccup imprisoned, that you release him immediately. If this is done, then I can do my best to convince our chief not to burn your island to the ground. But even so, you will have violated the Code of Alliances, and Berk will no longer deal or trade with you in any way. I say to you, if have Hiccup of Berk, release him to us immediately."

Camicazi smiled. "We do not have him,Fishlegs. And as for your returning to Berk, I think that may never occur. As you say, when your chief hears of this occurrence, he will attack us at once. So why should we let him know sooner if we can prevent it? I think we shall kill you all and stop him from knowing until we are better prepared."

Astrid was about to attack, but Fishlegs spoke again. He was still deathly calm.

"Camicazi of the Bog," he admonished, with no apparent concern at all. "You shall do no such thing."

"Why should I not leap across this table and stab you right through your fat belly, wobbly-legs?" Camicazi mocked, pointing her curved sword at him.

"Because," Fishlegs replied, "It would be useless for you. We have already prepared for this situation by leaving one of our riders just outside of the range of your bolas. He is probably circling the island as we speak, and your lookouts may have already spotted him. If we do not return to him, unharmed, in an hour, he has been charged to fly back to Berk with the news. So killing us will gain you no time at all."

Camicazi was furious, and stepped forward, lowering her blade and spitting on the floor. "How are we expected to believe that you left a rider behind? I think you're a liar, fat boy!"

Fishlegs smiled. "I would never be stupid enough to fly at an island loaded with dragon killing weapons without making sure I had my back covered, Camicazi. Besides, you can probably see our rider yourself. Trust me, killing us will gain you no time."

Camicazi was red with anger. She had been beaten, and she knew it.

"I think we should kill you anyway!" she shouted raising her sword once more. "It will simply be three less people to face in the war!"

Fishlegs' smile never left his face. "You are not a fool, Camicazi, and neither is your Chief. Because you are not, you can see that that is a very bad idea. Firstly, if you kill us now, it will cause enough of a commotion to make our dragons aware, and trust me, they will start killing. And more importantly, right now there has been no official declaration of war. We are, officially, still allies. This means that anyone who is killed right now is killed treacherously. If that is done, no tribe will ever want to become allies with you, ever. So, if you kill us, you might as well slit your own throats, too, because without allies you will be nothing, just like the Outcasts." Then Fishlegs glanced at the Bog Burglars. "Also, you may not have enough to kill us all. We are all armed, and Astrid here is probably one of the finest fighters in the archipelago. We will not be dispatched easily, I can guarantee that. It is likely that one of you may die in the fray, and believe me, Chiefs and heirs are a lot harder to replace than representatives. I repeat that you can only hurt your own cause by killing us."

Camicazi snorted. "Astrid doesn't look like she could kill a baby. I could take her with one hand tied behind my back."

"WHAT!" Astrid roared, stepping forward with her axe. "Do you want to try me, you little-"

Fishlegs put an arm in front of her and pushed her back, pretending that the outburst had not occurred. He continued, still relaxed.

"Regardless of the talent of our fighters, I would advise that you let us leave in peace, with no blood spilt. We will return to our island and discuss the matter with our Chief. It is possible he will want to resolve this situation without violence, although I strongly doubt it. All that being said, I think it would be mutually beneficial if we leave immediately." He looked at Big Boobied Bertha for a reply.

"GO, WOBBLY-LEGS!" Bertha bellowed. "I ASSUME THAT AS SOON AS YOU REACH YOUR ISLAND, WAR WILL BE DECLARED! IF SO, TELL YOUR CHIEF THAT WE HAVE WEAPONS AND TRICKS THAT WILL TEAR HIS DRAGON ARMY TO SHREDS! A WAR WILL ONLY RESULT IN THE DESTRUCTION OF BERK AND EVERY MAN, WOMAN, AND CHILDON YOUR ISLAND! WE ARE THE BOG BURGLARS, AND WE DO NOT LOSE WARS! GO BACK TO YOUR ISLAND, FAT BOY! IF ANY OF YOU EVER RETURN, YOU SHALL BE INSTANTLY KILLED!"

Fishlegs turned to his companions. "Let's get out of here, Astrid," he said. "We won't gain anything by spending any more time in this place." He tugged at her arm, trying to get her to follow him out.

Astrid spat on the floor, right in front of Camicazi's shoes. She spoke one more time.

"If you have Hiccup in prison," she shouted, "then you will regret ever touching him! If he has been harmed, I will not rest until I have cut every limb off of your pathetic body, Camicazi!"

Camicazi smiled at Astrid, who Fishlegs and Ruffnut were still trying to move away.

"Are you his precious little girlfriend?" Camicazi mocked. "He talked about you when he was here. From what he said I thought you were a fine warrior, but now I see that you are only a worthless bungler. You don't deserve Hiccup."

Astrid raged, trying to get at Camicazi. However, Fishlegs and Ruffnut held her back and started pushing her to the door of the Great Hall.

"You haven't seen the last of me!" Astrid shouted at Camicazi. "I'll be back, and when I am, you'll find yourself with an axe in your chest! You'll pay for what you've done to Hiccup!"

Then the door banged behind them.

High Asgard, Day 7 since Hiccup's Departure.

Hiccup was once again thrown out the door by The Wolf. Landing with a crash, he skidded across the floor and made no move to rise. The door banged shut, and his training for Day 3 was over.

The Wolf had healed his wounds, but the memory of the latest torture The Wolf had given him was still fresh in his warped mind. Worse, however, was the fact that he was adjusting from his insanity back to normal, and could he could not stand because his head was going in circles.

He felt the two guards grab his arms and haul him to his feet. Hiccup tried to stand and found out that he could barely walk along with them. With the two men helping him, he was escorted to his room. Opening the door, he staggered in, wanting to throw off his bloody, destroyed armor and go to sleep. But before he could do anything, something different caught his eye.

Directly ahead, on the wall in front of him, was a giant mirror, which reflected Hiccup's entire body. It had never been there before. Stepping forward, Hiccup gasped in horror at what he saw.

His armor was torn and shredded, his own blood still dripping from the leather onto the plush red carpeting. His once wavy and cheerful brown hair was now matted with his own gore and dried blood, completely marring his appearance. But it was his face that made Hiccup troubled.

His eyes were sunken and dull, and his face hallowed with a mixture of anger, hatred, and fear. Dark splotches rested under his eyes, and his nose and cheekbone were swollen and bruised from the times that Asgeirr had thrown the metal cup at him. That made sense, for he was receiving more abuse than he had ever received before. However, his eyes truly shocked him. They were completely bloodshot, surrounding his green pupils with a hideous red color. It mottled his eyes and made him look they were bleeding. Also, the once brilliant green of his pupils had faded to a dull, bitter yellow. Staring at himself in fear, he realized what he looked like. The Wolf.

Hiccup was horrified.NO!He thought to himself desperately.I can't look like that! Am I already insane? What is happening to me?He stared at himself in the mirror, meeting his own, demonic eyes. It was unnerving, as if he wasn't really looking at himself at all, but rather someone else through a glass window. To make sure, he reached out and laid his palm against the cool glass of the mirror, his reflection copying his movement. He never broke his ceaseless gaze at his mirror image. His own likeness seemed to laugh at him, and Hiccup realized that he looked exactly what he imagined a demon would be like. Staring at himself in horror, the reflection seemed to call out to him, with a thousand voices reverberating in Hiccup's mind. They all murmured frantic whispers of memories from his past, like abuse, heartbreak, disappointment, anger, and sadness. The voices increased steadily until they became a roar, as if a river of sounds was gushing through his mind, filling him with a never ending rush of horrible memories and emotions, blotting out all else that Hiccup thought. They were overtaking his mind, and Hiccup was succumbing to the madness. Frantically Hiccup tried to blot the voices out, but they were persistent, howling in his mind with the power of a hurricane. Hiccup could do nothing to stop it, and was frozen in place, his hand still touching the mirror. However, through the crazed onrush of darkness in his mind, one lone voice called him. It seemed to cry out desperately in his mind, shouting one last despairing message. It called: Astrid! Astrid! Astrid!

Hiccup roared in rage, the sea of madness that was attacking his mind disappearing. Pulling his hand off the mirror and leaving a bloody mark, he grabbed the table on which he ate every morning and, with inhuman strength, hurled it at his reflection in the mirror. The glass splintered and shattered, shards flying all over and covering the room. The table hit the floor with a dull boom, the wood broken into two pieces. The horrid reflection was gone.

Hiccup gasped for air, and then collapsed on the ground with a strangled cry. Sobbing uncontrollably, he curled into a ball, wanting to retreat so far into his mind that he could never return to the outer world, to his bedroom, to Ragnarok, and to The Wolf. He wanted to die.

But there was still a voice shouting at him, deep in his mind. It cried the same call: Astrid! Astrid! Astrid!

Sobbing, Hiccup opened his eyes, trying to focus through his tears.Astrid. He needed to do this for her. He needed to pass. He needed to kill The Wolf, complete his training, and go home. He got to his knees and yelled at the ceiling, raving like a madman.

"I will never look in a mirror again until this training is over!" he screamed, to no one but the empty room. "I am Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, and you will never take that away from me! I will never succumb to your tortures, you blasted Wolf! I will not lose my mind, or everything I have, because you like to hurt me! I will kill you, Wolf!"

Hiccup stopped screaming. Wiping his eyes with his bloody sleeve, he looked up at his bed. Lying on his pillow where he had left it was the Nadder scale Astrid had given him. It seemed to call out to him just like the voice, telling him to go and pick it up.

Climbing laboriously to his feet, Hiccup staggered over to the bed and plopped down on it, ignoring the blood that dripped from his armor onto the clean white sheets and blanket. Picking up the blue scale, he held it over his face and gazed longingly at the drawing of Astrid which was etched into the deep blue. Tracing her face with his finger, which was caked with dried blood, he tried to think back to Berk, and what Astrid would think when she discovered that he was gone.

"They'll all think I'm dead," Hiccup moaned out loud. "Astrid will think I'm dead. What will she do? Will she never forget me, or will she have gotten over me by the time I return?"

He closed his eyes, wishing that none of this had ever happened to him. Why did he have to be captured by the Gods? Why him? Why was he chosen to save Midgard? It simply wasn't fair.

Groaning, he wondered what was happening down on his own world. He was supposed to be on Bog Burglar Island, training their allies how to ride dragons. Now he was getting trained to be a proper rider himself. The irony amused Hiccup, and he actually laughed, still stroking Astrid's cheek on the scale.

Then he found motivation. With a shout of both anger and determination, he jumped off the bed, letting Astrid's Nadder scale fall back onto his pillow. On his feet, he tore off his ruined armor, flinging the bloody mess across the room, where it hit the wall with a crash. He went into his washroom, and, like the previous days, found a tub with warm water in it. He jumped in and cleaned himself, and then got dressed in new clothes that had been laid out for him. They were always black.

Now feeling much more comfortable, Hiccup walked out of the washroom and back to his bed. He flopped down and picked up the Nadder scale once more, staring at it intently. He had to figure something out, some way to defeat The Wolf.

All that came to mind at first was learning to contain the madness The Wolf gave him. He was sure that would come with time, after he had tried all kinds of mental tricks in Ragnarok. That he could do nothing about at the moment. However, assuming that he was able to control his mind eventually, how would he actually manage to kill The Wolf? No matter how strong he got while training with the beast, he would never actually be strong enough to kill him with his bare hands. He needed a weapon.

Asgeirr had told him no outside weapons were allowed, and that the guards would confiscate any that they found on him. There were no weapons in Ragnarok except a few small rocks, do there were no weapons at his disposal. But what if he had a weapon that was permanently attached to his body and could not be removed? Asgeirr had mentioned on the first day that he could alter his peg leg and make a weapon out of it. So if he managed to transform his metal leg into something a little more deadly, he could have something that might be able to kill his arch-enemy in Ragnarok.

Hiccup mused. He would need a forge to make any major modifications to the prosthetic, so that would be an issue. He decided to ask Asgeirr if there was any that he could use, and then pushed the though from his mind. Now he had one idea. Stroking the scale thoughtfully, he racked his brains for another.

Then, while staring at his finger that was touching the scale, he got another thought. The Wolf had claws for fingers, and he had used them many times to slash Hiccup to pieces during his time in Ragnarok. They were very effective, as he both saw and felt. So what if he had claws too? He looked at his fingernails. Obviously he would never be able to match The Wolf's claws, which were razor sharp and made of dragon iron, but he might be able to make something similar. His fingernails were long enough so that he could cut them into what would resemble short claws.

Curious to see if the idea would work, Hiccup rolled off his bed once more, heading for the desk on the other side of the room that he had never touched before. Opening the drawers, he found a small knife, which was perfect for trimming. Sitting down in a chair, he started to carve at his fingernails.

The result was better than he expected. When his job was completed, he discovered that his fingernails were now cut into the shape of claws, and each was about the size of a human tooth. Touching himself with them, he discovered that they could easily scratch him hard enough to draw blood. They might be able to damage The Wolf as well.

Smiling in pride, Hiccup raised his hands in front of his face and surveyed his work. He looked like The Wolf in the mirror, and now he had claws, just like his nemesis. He laughed, almost excited for the next day of training. With no more mirrors and claws made of fingernails, he might have a chance.

Turning around, he spoke to the Nadder scale.

"I won't lose, Astrid," he stated. "I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him, I'm going to pass this dumb training, and then I can find you. I'll win. And I can promise you, I'll be back."


	14. the floodgates open

Chapter 14: The Floodgates Open

Uncharted Waters, Day 7 since Hiccup's Departure

The fire crackled and danced in the darkness of the calm evening. Around it, leaning against their dragons, were Astrid, Fishlegs, and the twins. Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut were sitting around it, warming themselves and roasting fish over the flames as the sun dwindled away in the west, sending some last rays of red sunlight over the watery horizon. Astrid however, was huddled against Stormfly, and showed no interest in speaking or eating. She had been utterly silent since she had received the news of Hiccup's disappearance.

"Astrid, you should really have some fish," Ruffnut said sympathetically. "This trout tastes good, and you'll need to keep up your strength. We're going to be flying really fast tomorrow. Here, try some of mine."

She offered a piece of her fish, fully cooked, to Astrid. She made no move to touch it, and did not even look up.

Fishlegs stared at Astrid sorrowfully.

"Astrid, you really need to eat something," he stated blandly. "We'll be back on Berk tomorrow, and Stoick will want to know every little detail of our visit. You need to be wide awake and not fainting from hunger while that happens." He tore off a chunk of trout and began to chew, slowly and deliberately, while still looking at Astrid.

Astrid looked up at him.

"How can I eat?" she whispered. "How can I eat when Hiccup is in jail on that horrid island? Those Bog Burglars may be doing terrible stuff to him."

Fishlegs finished chewing and looked down at the fire before speaking.

"Astrid, Hiccup is dead."

Astrid flared up, pushing herself to sit upright. "No!" she screamed. "He is NOT dead! They captured him! They're keeping him hostage!"

"No, they aren't," Fishlegs replied, still not looking at her. "Why would they? If they were holding Hiccup prisoner, then what for? It doesn't make any sense. No. They didn't capture him. They - they killed him, Astrid."

Astrid leapt to her feet, her face white as a sheet. "They can't have!" she yelled. "They couldn't have killed Hiccup! It doesn't make sense! Why? Why would they do it?"

Fishlegs still didn't look at her, and addressed the ground in front of him.

"They called him to the Bog to see if the rumors that Berk was riding dragons was real," he replied quietly. "When Hiccup arrived, they were probably terrified out of their minds, and killed him and Toothless as soon as they landed, branding the friends of dragons as traitors and Vikings who were sided with the devil, just like we did with Hiccup in the beginning. Realizing too late that they had murdered the heir to Berk and started a war, they started to build defenses against our impending dragon attack. They also created an outlandish lie, one that they could use to mock us, but still deny that they had treacherously killed an allied ruler."

"That's not true!" Astrid screamed, jumping over the fire and yelling down at Fishlegs. "He is NOT DEAD! Stop saying that!"

Fishlegs still did not look at her. He merely answered calmly.

"It just doesn't click, Astrid," he whispered carefully. "The only reason they would have to keep him prisoner is if they wanted some kind of ransom, or had planned the capture in advance in order to start a war with Berk. Neither one makes sense under the circumstances. If they really did capture Hiccup for a ransom, then they would have let us know, so that they could begin to bargain with our tribe for his release. They did not. And there's no reason to capture him to begin a war. They would have just killed him instead, which is exactly what they did."

"NO!"Astrid shouted. She was crying now, tears falling down her cheeks. "He can't be dead! He's Hiccup, he defeated the Red Death, he is our hero, and he can't just die! He is NOT DEAD!"

Fishlegs finally looked up and rose to his feet. No one had really noticed, but he had grown considerably since the Vikings had made peace with the dragons. He now towered over Astrid by at least six inches, and he let her feel small as he used his voice.

"Accept it, Astrid!" he shouted at her. "We can't just ignore it.Hiccup is dead!"

Astrid, staring up at Fishlegs, was finally cowed. With a last gasp of horror, she fell to her knees and buried her head in her hands.

"No!" she sobbed, tears flowing from her hands and onto the ground. "He can't be dead, he can't, he, he-" She fell on her face, shaking uncontrollably with grief. As if it was mocking their pitiful state, there came a roll of thunder, and the skies opened. Rain poured down on the four Vikings and their dragons, soaking them instantly and dampening the fire.

Ignoring the soaking rain, Fishlegs slowly squatted down and touched Astrid's shoulder, raindrops tinkling off her armored pads.

"Astrid," he said quietly, trying to console her.

"GET AWAY!" Astrid screamed, shoving at Fishlegs. "Just leave me alone!" Stormfly rose, walked over to her sobbing rider, and placed her wing protectively over Astrid, curling up around her in comfort and protecting her from the storm.

Fishlegs rose and looked at the twins. "Let's go catch some more fish, you guys," he stated.

"But we've got plenty already," Tuffnut said, confused. "The rain is coming down like crazy. We should find some shelter instead."

"Just go, you idiot," Ruffnut said, kicking her brother as she stood up herself. "Astrid's crying, and Hiccup is dead. I want to cry, too. Let's go catch some more fish to take our minds off it. I don't care if we get wet."

Tuffnut nodded numbly and rose, his boots slopping in the newly made mud. Ever since the incident on Bog Burglar Island the twins had not goofed off or joked once. Hiccup's death had seriously dampened the mood of all the travelers. Leaving Astrid and Stormfly crying behind them, they strode to the inner part of the island, where there was a pond with a lake. It spattered constantly with raindrops.

Sighing, Fishlegs began to prepare his bait when all of a sudden he groaned, as if in pain.

"What's with you?" Ruffnut muttered, trying to tie her line around a wet stick. "Hiccup's dead, but you're not his girlfriend. You don't have to cry about it."

Fishlegs buried his face in his hands.

"No," he whispered. "I'm not his girlfriend. I'm his friend. And he's dead." Fishlegs bowed down and sobbed, his tears dripping from his eyes and onto the mud.

"Uggh, come on," Ruffnut said, throwing her pole away. "I can't stand all the crying. Let's go take a walk, Tuff."

"Umm, you can just go yourself," Tuffnut muttered sullenly, sitting down on the ground, ignoring the muddiness.

"What is the matter with you?" Ruffnut demanded, walking over to her brother.

"Oh, I'm just thinking," Tuffnut mumbled, his chin in his hands, rain dripping off his helmet. "You know how we all picked on Hiccup for such a long time? I remember I would always try to trip him when he walked out of the Great Hall, and we would always dump yak-shit on him whenever he walked behind our house. Then he trained a dragon, beat the Red Death, saved all our lives, and got us an awesome dragon, Barf and Belch. We all loved him for it, but I always felt that we were never really his friends. We had hurt him so much back when he was useless. He never stopped trying. He never stopped trying to help! And after all he did for me, and all we had done to him, I – I" Tuffnut bowed his head. "I should have said I'm sorry."

His shoulder shook as he wept, and his helmet fell off and clattered in the mud. Thunder boomed in the sky above, echoing across the sea.

"Why, Hiccup?!" Tuffnut screamed, raising his head and yelling at the black skies. "Why did you have to go? I'll never be able to get my spear sharpened like you always did it. I won't be able to ask you what the matter with Belch is! Why did you have to die, Hiccup! Loki and Thor, help me! I'm sorry, Hiccup, for all the dumb things I did to you! Why?!"

He flung himself face first in the mud, groveling. Thunderclouds kept rolling in, and lightning flashed above. Rain kept coming down in great droughts, blown at an angle by a fierce wind.

Ruffnut stood still, but not for long. Soon she too, sat down next to her brother and moped, her bedraggled hair billowing in the harsh breeze.

All of a sudden there was a savage shriek in the sky. All the weeping Viking's heads shot upwards. Through the rain, they could see a massive dragon flying to the east. It was almost directly above them, and coming in fast. Lightning flashed from its mouth and into the sea below.

"A Skrill!" Shouted Fishlegs. "Take cover!"

The three Vikings dashed into the trees near the pond. Flinging themselves into the underbrush, they stared at the dragon that was soaring overhead. It showed no signs of having seen them, and with a few more roars and lightning flashes, it vanished into the distance. As soon as it did, the storm stopped, the clouds passed on, and the starry, calm night became visible once more in the sky. The Skrill had brought the rainstorm.

The three Vikings watched until it was out of sight, then each tumbled out of the bushes in a great hurry. They had forgotten Hiccup's death for the moment, and were focused on one thing alone: The Skrill had a rider.

High Asgard, Day 8 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup awoke.

It took him a second to orient himself and to figure out where he was. No one had tossed ice cold water on his head, and he was completely alone which had never happened yet on Asgard. Apparently Asgeirr had not yet arrived.

Rubbing his eyes, he sat up in bed. The covers were still a little discolored slightly from the blood that had dripped on it the previous evening, but Hiccup ignored it. Looking across the room, he looked at the wreckage that he had caused yesterday, and took some time to see exactly what he had done. Broken pieces of the mirror were still scattered all over, and the table that he ate from was lying against the wall, broken in two, with two of its legs shattered as well. Hiccup whistled in amazement. He must have been truly insane in order to throw that large table with such force. Maybe the insanity was helping him a little, since it was evidently increasing his strength. Glancing over to his left, he noticed that his suit of armor had been picked up from where he had thrown it, and mended once again. Odin's Little Seer was a faithful worker.

Hiccup then realized that he was clutching something tightly in his right hand. Looking down, he saw Astrid's Nadder scale buried deeply in his sweaty palm. He had been holding onto it all night long.

Smiling, he raised the scale to look at it once more, the chain attached to it dangling down. Again he stroked the smooth surface, staring longingly at Astrid's face. He needed to get through another day, and he had to do it by preparing his mind. He could not allow himself to vanish. He could not allow Hiccup Haddock to fade away and be replaced with something else. He had to remember who he was, and he could do that by remembering his old life, and Astrid.

Still sitting, he made another resolution. He would wake up early and stare at this Nadder scale for ten minutes every morning to remind himself who he was, and what he was fighting for. He started immediately, allowing himself to fade into his thoughts, dreaming of Astrid, Toothless, and all the comforts of home. His dad, trying to get him to do more chief-like stuff, Fishlegs trying to get him to listen to the complicated new idea for the dragon stables, Astrid and him sitting together on the cliff, and the twins' constant mischiefs and jokes. He smiled to himself as he recalled their latest prank, which had been applying thick layers of yak-shit to Mildew's pet sheep. The old man had thrown a tantrum after he discovered it.

However, Hiccup's ten minutes were far from over when a sudden noise snapped him back to reality. The door to his room opened, and Asgeirr walked in. He was carrying a tray of food in one hand and a bucket of ice water in the other, intending to wake Hiccup up and let him eat. However, as soon as Asgeirr entered the room, he stopped and stared in amazement at the mess on the floor. Standing with his mouth open in awe, he stared at the broken table and mirror in at the far wall.

"Morning, Asgeirr." Hiccup said, lowering the Nadder scale and looking at his trainer. "Am I starting later today, or did I just wake up early?"

Asgeirr slowly turned to look at Hiccup.

"You woke up early," he replied, putting the bucket down on the floor. "And what in the name of Thor did youdoin here?"

Hiccup scowled. "Next time, don't put a mirror in my room," he growled angrily. "Just looking at myself made me go crazy, and I threw the table at it in a mindless rage." A smile twisted his lips. "Now I have nothing to eat off of."

Asgeirr grinned, and placed the tray of food on Hiccup's bed, close enough for him to reach it. Obviously there was no table anymore.

"I was expecting you to have a strange reaction to the mirror," he stated. "But I certainly did not imagine you would destroy it. I thought it would help you remember who you are, and therefore help the insanity. Did it assist you at all?"

"It did," Hiccup answered. "Although not at first. At first it made me go insane, then it made me want to kill myself, and finally it made me actually want to fight back. The mirror also caused me start thinking of some stuff. Speaking of which, I have a question for you. You mentioned when you first met me that I could attach some kind of weapon to my prosthetic leg. I want one, as soon as I can."

Asgeirr grinned again. "I was waiting for you ask that, Riddari," he said with a smile. "But I cannot allow it while you are training with The Wolf. Part of the test is to see what you can do simply with your bare hands, and it would be unfair to give you an advantage like a bladed metal leg."

Hiccup frowned in disapproval.

"It's enough of a disadvantage to be crippled at all," he replied. "I think that your reasoning is completely unfair. This leg causes hundreds of problems for me, and having a weapon attached to it will not even come close to negating those issues. Even with such a weapon, I will still be at a major disadvantage, simply because I am a cripple who only has one leg. The Wolf is whole, and I am not."

Asgeirr frowned thoughtfully.

"You do make a point, Riddari," he said. "But I cannot break my training protocol and give you a tool that will help you pass the Level sooner." He shook his head decidedly. "No. I cannot give you a weapon for your leg right now, but once you pass this Level, I will have a surprise for you. That is, if you ever pass."

Hiccup shook his head and reached for the food on the tray. However, he still held on to the blue Nadder scale. It made him feel secure.

"In that case, this training is completely unfair, Asgeirr," he stated, stuffing meat into his mouth and chewing. It was like no other meat he had eaten, and he wondered what it was. He was about to ask, but then Asgeirr spoke again.

"Everyone likes fairness," he stated. "However, the entire concept is a misleading one, especially in combat. There is nothingfairabout war. In a battle, it matters not if the man you are facing has an advantage or a shortcoming, he will try to kill you regardless. No one cares about equality when it is a matter of life and death. So why train in fairness when you will never experience it in real life?"

Hiccup didn't answer, and merely kept eating.

Asgeirr continued. "Life isn't fair,Riddari, no matter how often we think otherwise. You, of all people, should understand that. Think of your childhood, Hiccup. All those years of being put down, spat on, and mocked in front of the entire village was never fair. It was unjust, not right for you to be picked on simply because you were different. And yet it will always happen. The small and the weak are ridiculed and mocked for being something that they cannot help. They do their best, fail, and still get beaten and abused. It is the way of the world, Hiccup, and nothing anyone can do will ever change that. The only thing you can do is accept it, and find a way to get through it. You had to do that back in your homeland, and you can do it again, here with The Wolf. Accept that the Level is not fair. Accept that you will be butchered and slaughtered thousands of times, but never give up. Never stop trying to succeed. Can you manage to deal with it?"

Hiccup had been looking at Asgeirr the whole time. When his trainer finished, he swallowed his food and sat still.

"I can do that," he whispered, taking a tighter grip on Astrid's scale.

"Then you can beat him, and without a weapon on your leg," Asgeirr answered. "Keep fighting. And I see that you did something to your fingernails. Congratulations. It took my last student, an elf, five days to think of that trick, and you did it in three."

"Do they really work?" Hiccup asked, excitedly, dropping the scale and raising his hands in front of him to re-examine his makeshift claws.

Asgeirr shrugged. "They are better than nothing," he said noncommittally. "Fingernails can scratch and claw, but I doubt you could ever kill anyone with them, at least not when they are at that length."

Hiccup cut a wry face, disappointed. "Oh well. But it's a start, and they'll keep growing. Maybe I can do some damage today, if I actually manage to hit him."

Asgeirr shrugged. "The main issue is the insanity, not being able to hit him, but of course you already know that."

"I do," Hiccup replied. "And since it is, I want you to wake me up half an hour earlier from now on so I can meditate. I think that will help my mind a lot. Also, I really don't like the ice cold water. Maybe you could try just shaking me instead."

"As you wish, Riddari," Asgeirr answered. "As long as you are at the door of Ragnarok by sunrise, then I really don't care what you do."

Again there was a period of silence, and Hiccup finished all of his food and drank all his milk. He had new fruits today as well as meat, but he was too hungry to ask Asgeirr what they were, either. After he drank his morning water, he took the metal cup and put it on the bed, directly in front of Asgeirr.

"I'll be ready for it today," he said.

Asgeirr smiled. "We'll see."

Turning, Hiccup walked around the pieces of broken mirror to get at his armor and shoes. Like the previous day, the suit had been repaired. However, it was now almost more patches and stitches than it was actual leather. Also, it was now completely blood red due to the stains. Shaking his head, he put it on for the third time.

"Do I ever get anewsuit?" he asked Asgeirr, without turning around. "This one is already reaching the point of where it's worthless."

Behind Hiccup's back, Asgeirr replied. "You get a new suit every week. By that occasion they are usually so destroyed and marred that it's absurd to think that it may have been useful at one point in time. It goes to prove how terrible The Wolf's training is."

Snapping the buckles together, Hiccup grimaced at the sheer ugliness of the armor. It was completely red colored, but as he looked closely, he could even see splotches of black and other stains that were other forms of gore. It was disgusting just to look at.

Hiccup finished putting the armor on, and then turned around to get the shoe for his good leg. As soon as he looked behind him, he saw in a flash that the metal cup was flying at his face. Asgeirr had thrown it as soon as Hiccup had begun to turn around.

As quickly as he could, Hiccup reached out in a desperate attempt to catch it before it struck him in the face. He was barely fast enough, but he had no time to actually close his fingers around the metal. Instead, the cup hit his outstretched hand and bounced away, clanging on the floor.

Hiccup groaned, holding his bruised knuckles that had been struck by the cup. Asgeirr was still standing by the bed, a smile on his broad face.

"Nice try, Riddari," he commended. "But next time, actually catch it, and don't just block it. However, it is a vast improvement. Keep it up." His trainer turned and walked out the door, closing it with a bang.

Hiccup waited for a few seconds, and then laughed in triumph. He was improving! He had a chance. With spring in his step, he put on his shoe and ran out into the hallway as fast as his metal leg would permit. Asgeirr was nowhere in sight, and Hiccup wondered where he had gone to; he could see no other doors in this area of Asgard. However, he pushed the thoughts from his mind and tried to focus on staying calm and cool in his mentality. Walking steadily down the hall, he came to the fateful door where the guards stood, each motionless and stolid. The sign above read, Phase 1, Level 3.

Hiccup reached for the doorknob, but it resisted and he was unable to turn it. The door was apparently locked. He must have been very early today.

Looking around him, Hiccup reminded himself that he needed a routine, something that could help keep him sane and normal, or, as Astrid would say, Hiccuplike. If he was going to show up this early every morning, then he should think of something that helped keep his mind occupied and help him beat The Wolf. Glancing around, he saw the guards.

Hiccup let out a broad grin. This was perfect! The guards never spoke, laughed, or made any sound at all. He was going to try and change that.

"Hi, fellows," he said, addressing the two men. "How, uhh, are you doing today?"

As he expected, there was no response.

"Do you know what they do to me in there?" Hiccup asked jokingly, pointing at the door. "They take me and put me in front of a crazy man with a Wolf's head, and then he talks to me. If I don't answer, then he tears me to pieces. After twelve hours of that, he throws me out here, a bloody mess, and you guys have to drag me back to my room because I'm too weak. It just goes to show you what happens when you don't talk. So if I were you, I wouldn't be so stubborn about keeping your mouth shut. Bad things happen to those who do. So come on, how are you doing today?"

The guards did not make a sound, and Hiccup sighed.

"What happens when you guys, uhh, have an itch?" he demanded curiously. "Are you allowed to scratch it, or do you simply have to tough it up? What about if you want to sneeze, or need to go to the outhouse? The bathrooms here are fantastic, by the way. Back on my island there were no outhouses in the actual buildings. That's why they're called outhouses, because they're all outside. Around here, they're just called bathrooms, and they are directly in the middle of the floor. I don't get how they don't stink up the whole place. I also don't get why they're called bathrooms. Sure, you bathe in there, too, but most of the time you just need to, uhh, take a leak. It should be called the piss-room, not the bathroom. What do you fellows think?"

Again, no reply.

"I see," Hiccup nodded, a big smile coming over his features. "I get what your problem is. Youcan'tthink! I get it now! I'll bet there's nothing but empty space behind those big golden helmets, and everything I say just passes right through it. Let me see."

Enjoying himself hugely, Hiccup walked up to one of the guards and looked up at his face, through the eye holes of his golden helmet.

"No." He said, acting surprised, but still maintaining his joking attitude. "You are actually real. I don't believe it. If you are actually a real person, then why don't you speak like a normal human being?"

"Ohh!" Hiccup shouted, as if he had struck on an idea. "I get it now! You simply can't SPEAK! You are all dumb! It makes me sad to think of it, a grown man, unable to talk. It must be a terrible affliction. I would ask you to tell me about it, but of course, you can't. Are you capable of writing? If I brought you a pencil and paper, could you write words down and tell me what you think?"

After a second of no response, Hiccup nodded, grinning so hard he thought his mouth would break.

"Oh, I understand. You don't know how to write, either. I'm so sorry for you guys. You know what, I'm going to be here every morning, and I'll tell you what, I'm going to be really nice and teach you the alphabet. I'll bring a paper and coal tomorrow and I'll show you the letter A. It's a marvelous letter, the first of them all.I'll tell you everything about it next time I come here."

The door clicked, letting Hiccup know that it was unlocked.

"Oh, there goes my notice," Hiccup joked, gesturing to the door. "I'll see you guys in twelve hours, as soon as The Wolf decides to kick me out the exit. You'll most likely need to carry me, because I'll be really beaten up today. However, can I ask that you put me on my bed, instead of dropping me on the floor and making me crawl from the door to the bathroom? It's really hard on me, and they may not have cleaned up all the glass by the time I get back. I wouldn't want to get scarred up on that stuff."

The guards made no indication that they had heard anything at all.

"You guys are hopeless," Hiccup sighed. "Oh well. I'm going to go get mangled. See you later."

He stepped to the door and laid his hand on the knob, forgetting the guards and focusing only on his thoughts.

"Brace yourself," he whispered out loud, wiping his joking smile from his face. "Master your senses. Blot out the smells, the sights, and the insanity. And kill the blasted Wolf."

He took a deep breath, and entered.

As always, The Wolf was standing in front of him. However, the beast said nothing yet, and only smiled at him, baring his yellow fangs.

Hiccup was breathing hard, the insanity already starting to take over. He desperately tried to focus, to find something that would help him think. Looking ahead, he saw The Wolf's claws, sharp and menacing, and ready to rip him to pieces. Growling like a wild animal, he held up his own hands, displaying his new claws and letting The Wolf know that he was like him now. Then he saw The Wolf's teeth.

Teeth.Hiccup thought.I have claws, but I don't have sharp teeth. But what if-

Hiccup bent down and picked up a small rock from the floor of Ragnarok. He thought of flinging it at The Wolf, but he had a different idea in mind. Raising the stone, he slammed it into his teeth, smashing his front incisors and sending broken pieces flying. He hammered his teeth twice more, cutting his gums and crushing his lips in the process. Hurling the rock to the ground, he spat out the broken bits of bone and the blood. He then raised his lips in savage snarl, baring his destroyed teeth at The Wolf. They were now jagged and sharp, and if he was able to bite The Wolf, he could do some serious damage.

The Wolf laughed with what sounded like pleasure, and the sound broke through the last of Hiccup's mental defenses, driving him to the breaking point of his mind control. With a roar that did not even sound human, he launched himself at The Wolf, wanting to destroy him more than anything else.

The Wolf stepped forward to meet him, and claws met claws.


	15. the white of alfheim

Chapter 15: The White Peaks of Alfheim

Dragonese will be written in italics, so you can tell when it is being used.Hope you enjoy!

Also, here is how the following names/words are pronounced in this story:

Asgeirr – AS – GEE – AIR

Brenakir – BREN – ACK – HEAR

Kaldr – CALL – DER

Eir – AY – EAR

Dreki (means dragon in Norse) – DREK – KEY

Akkeri (means anchor in Norse) – ACK – CARE– EE

Kenna (means train/trainer in Norse) – KEN - NAH

High Asgard, Day 8 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup fell to his knees and retched, his stomach heaving and emptying its contents on the luxurious carpeting of the golden hallway. Falling to his hands, he took several deep breaths, trying to get his wind. The Wolf had healed him, but then was cruel enough to kick him in the gut deliberately before throwing him out the door of Ragnarok, which was where he was now, coughing up his food. All night long he would have to deal with the pain and nausea.

The two guards walked alongside Hiccup, ready to pick him up and drag him back to his quarters, as they always did. However, Hiccup raised his hand and shook his head, motioning the men away. Sitting back on his heels, he raised his hands and showed them proudly to the guards.

"See that!" he shouted exultingly, a broad grin on his face. His sharp fingernails were dulled and bloody, and grey fur clung to the sticky mess.

"I got The Wolf with these things, right on his ugly, hairy face!" Hiccup laughed. "Yeah! I am a Viking! And I don't feel so insane right now, either. It was easier today. I'll be able to kill him soon, and I'll do it so viciously he'll wish he'd never been born!"

Hiccup shook his head and then fell on his hands once more, dry heaving. The guards didn't wait this time. They merely grabbed him under his arms and began to drag him off.

"Hey, be careful, I'm sore," Hiccup moaned, clutching his stomach as they took him down the hall. "And watch out, too. I'm now officially a dangerous person. I got The Wolf good today."

The guards ignored him, of course, and, taking him to his room, opened the door and threw him in, causing Hiccup to land on his side with a thud. They then left and banged the door behind them.

Feeling much better than he had ever had before, Hiccup slowly crawled to his feet, his only problem being his injured belly. Holding his gut with one hand, he walked across his room to the bathroom. While he was doing so, he noticed that there was a new table, and the broken mirror had been cleaned up completely. Even the bloodstains on the bed were now gone. While his training was cruel and savage, at least it gave him great cleaning service. The beautiful blue Nadder scale was still lying peacefully on his pillow.

Pausing before he entered the bathroom, Hiccup stripped off the armor. Simply to mimic his actions from the previous days, he hurled it against the wall for fun. It landed with such a funny squishing sound that Hiccup burst out laughing before entering the bathroom and starting to clean himself in the full tub of water. The insanity had been lessened today, thanks to his mind exercises. Just a little more mental control, and then he had a real chance to win.

Berk, Day 9 since Hiccup's Departure

It made Astrid sick to see the crowd of villagers that mobbed from the houses and fields as she and her companions came within sight of Berk in the late morning. The people were all cheering and laughing, every one of them happy to have everyone, especially their heir and savior, back in their hands. It brought the bitter taste of what could have been to Astrid's mouth, and tears came to her eyes. How surprised they would be when they found out Hiccup was gone.

As they came closer, Astrid peered through her eyeglass and saw that the villagers had stopped cheering. Instead they were speaking animatedly to each other, and pointing at them. Apparently they were counting, and were just now seeing that no Night Fury was flying among them. Astrid saw looks of shock and fear on some of their faces, and then she tore the scope away from her eyes. She could no longer look at the people; it only gave her a painful reminder that Hiccup was not with them.

Stormfly angled her wings and thundered down to the clear area for landing. The mob of villagers raced for the spot, all greatly interested in why Hiccup was not accompanying the riders. Stoick was at the front of the pack, a look of utter terror on his usually stern face. Apparently he already feared the worst.

Stormfly's feet struck the ground with a boom, and Meatlug, Barf, and Belch followed, landing slowly and folding their wings in exhaustion. They had flown hard all morning long.

The crowd of Vikings surrounded the three dragons, shouting anxious questions at the riders. Astrid ignored every one of them, and, raising her flight mask, slid off Stormfly, her war axe clanking against her back as she landed. Fishlegs and the twins also dismounted, grim looks on their faces. Stoick the Vast pushed his way through the circle of villagers and hurried up to them, his face full of concern.

"Where is Hiccup?" he gasped, grabbing Astrid's shoulders. "Where is my son? Why is he not with you?"

The crowd of villagers became utterly silent, every eye on Astrid as they awaited her answer. It was unnerving to see how much fear was in their eyes.

"He – he-" Astrid faltered, unable to continue. She lowered her head in sorrow.

"Chief." Fishlegs stated. His voice was dull and dead. "We arrived at the island, and Hiccup was nowhere to be found. We were treated hostilely when we landed. When we asked Chief Bertha what happened to Hiccup, she said -"

"WHERE IS MY SON?" Stoick yelled, taking his hands off Astrid and taking a step towards Fishlegs.

Fishlegs opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again, his head lowered.

"Hiccup is dead, Chief."

The crowd of villagers erupted. Exclamations of horror, dismay, and dread filled the air, creating a mess of verbose disorder. In the center were Astrid, Fishlegs, and the twins, each looking dismal and despondent.

In the middle of the confusion, Stoick the Vast fell to his knees.

"My son," he whispered in horror, bowing his bearded head. "My only son – I have failed you, Valka. I couldn't keep him safe, I should never have let him go alone – I have failed – my son."

His head fell on his breast and he wept, the tears of grief so profound that Astrid was once again moved to weeping. Placing her head in her hands, she too began to cry. The Berkians ignored them, and continued to create an uproar that lasted several minutes, each speaking their own mind on the issue. However, they all eventually boiled down to one thing; the treachery of the Bog Burglars.

In the middle of the uproar, Spitelout Jorgenson stepped into the crowd and roared.

"Silence!"

The villagers abruptly shut up, all staring at the Chief's brother.

"This is a grave matter," Spitelout said with a calm anger. "The village need to discuss it in a organized meeting and decide what is to be done regarding this – this – treachery. Everyone please return to your duties, and you will be informed of when this council shall take place. It will most likely be this evening. Go!"

With authority now in action, the villagers dispersed, and only three remained. Spitelout, Gobber, and Heather stood by as Stoick remained on his knees. Solemn faced and serious were the twins, Astrid was crying, and Fishlegs looked lost in thought.

"Stoick," Gobber said softly, stepping towards his friend. "You are grieving, I know it, but we need to decide what ta do. Let's go to the Great Hall and find out exactly what happened. Maybe Hiccup is still alive after all."

Fishlegs nodded emphatically.

"Yes. We need to talk about this immediately, because if we are going to do something, it needs to be done as fast as possible. War is upon us, Chief Stoick."

Stoick lifted his head.

"My son," he whispered. "They took my son." Then his voice became filled with utter rage, and he leapt to his feet. "THEY KILLED MY SON! I WILL TRAVEL TO THE BOG AND RIP BIG BOBBIED BERTHA'S HEAD OFF FOR THIS OUTRAGE! THEY HAVE DESECRATED VIKING ALLIANCES WITH US! "

Astrid dropped to one knee and bowed her head.

"I'm sorry, Chief," she whispered. "I should have gone with him. I should have been there."

Stoick did not hear. His eyes were glazed with grief and anger. He turned to Gobber, a voice as cold as death itself.

"Call a village council immediately, Gobber," he commanded icily. "The Bog Burglars are going to pay dearly for this."

North Alfheim, Alfheim Range, Day 9 since Hiccup's Departure

Toothless thundered through the sky, the air under his wings whistling past as he and his companion, the dragon Brenakir, hurled through the stone towers on the North mountain range of Alfheim.

"Watch the gust of wind!"Brenakir shouted to him in Dragonese."You can see it coming by the movement in the boughs of the pine trees! Adjust your wings to take in the extra force, then use it to get a burst of speed fast enough to get across the stream. Don't flap at all – this is a gliding exercise!"

"I'm on it!"Toothless replied, watching the movement of the air on his right."It'll be here in about four seconds, correct?"

"Just about!"Brenakir roared back."Get ready – here it comes!"

The blast of wind hurled snowflakes off the mountainside as it struck Toothless and his trainer. Both dragons expertly twisted their wings, angling the flow of air so that it pushed them towards their destination much faster. Brenakir, despite being larger and older than Toothless, performed the move no better than the Night Fury. Both dragons streaked across the frozen creek and waterfall, then, angling their wings, raised up above the rocky caverns and roared their victory.

Brenakir was of a breed of dragon never seen on Midgard before. He was an Alpha species, Alfheim born, at least three times as large as Toothless, a dark bluish green color, and, most importantly, had a rider, the lone elf that had trainedon Asgard before. He was to be Toothless' teacher for the duration of his stay on Alfheim, and the two dragons had already become fast friends.

"Ha!"Brenakir laughed, the air blasting out his nostrils into the cold morning air."You have the skill of the Old Ones, my good Night Fury! I am honored to fly at your side!"

Toothless bowed his head to accept the praise, and Brenakir continued, gliding higher in the sky."Flying is usually not a learned art, good Night Fury. It is born in you, a natural talent that is hard to alter or perfect. However, your ability seems to have minimal flaws. You only have two issues – your size, and,of course, your damaged tail. Arrrgh! You should have smote down the boy that fired that bola, for he took so much away from you in a single shot."

Toothless growled in warning."The boy is a good Viking,"he snarled to Brenakir."And knew as much about dragons at the time he shot me as we know of ants. He felled me and maimed me, yes, but the fact remains that he did let me go free. He had a true heart; he had spirit that I had never seen before in a Viking. He had the soul of a dragon. I knew he was destined to be my rider when I laid eyes on him, and I could have struck him down, but couldn't. Now he is part of me. My tail feels amiss without him guiding it, like right now. Do not deign to question my choices again, my good Kenna, for they surpass your knowledge and understanding. And what of my size, Brenakir?"

Brenakir accepted the rebuke, bowing his head in withdrawal."Forgive me, my good Night Fury. I know naught about your bond with your rider, and it was not my place to question the decisions of the God-born. But it is my place to educate. As for your size, my good Night Fury, it is much, much too small. I do not understand why, but you seem to have been stunted in your growth since hatching. Even though your age is young, you should now be of greater magnitude. I think you should now be even bigger than I am. An Alpha dragon such as yourself and I must be menacing, not only in talent and raw skill, but in looks and proportions. You have the ability to terrify every living creature on all the worlds of Yggdrasil, my good Night Fury, and your only disadvantage lies in the fact that you are smaller than many such creatures. But that will change. On Alfheim you are now eating the proper food for dragons, not the worthless, useless fish on the world of Midgard. Soon you will reach physical sizes you never dreamed of attaining. You WILL become a legend, a black ray of hope for the world of men, and shall strike down your enemies in torrents of fire and blood. It is your destiny, as prophesied, and as the regal species of dragons, we must accept that destiny with a roar of passion."

Toothless, in response, let out a terrifying bellow that echoed across the snowy mountainside, scaring every creature that was above ground, causing rabbits to dart into their burrows and tremble in fear.

"I have accepted my fate!"Toothless rumbled excitedly, darting through the air with Brenakir."Let destiny come! I will take my fate and welcome it with open claws,regardless of what it may bring for me! I will follow it, even if it means I have to strike down my brother by birth, the Hydra himself! I shall be ready!"

Brenakir snarled in reply, approving of Toothless' response. However, he became sober again.

"Let us fly lower, my good Night Fury,"he stated,"and we shall try to spot all the white rabbits in the snow below. Vision is one of the most vital skills of a dragon."

"As you wish, my good Kenna,"Toothless growled back, and then darted lower to the earth, Brenakir following.

"As for your destiny,"Brenakir mentioned, his blue eyes darting across the snow in search of animals,"It may well involve the destruction of the Hydra. He is your own flesh and blood, born of the Gods, and, like you, is one with the darkness. Killing him may come at a great cost, and his talent is never to be underestimated. He is hundreds of years older than you, and has no doubt reached his maximum size and talent by now. No matter how quickly you manage to grow, your time is running out. Hel, the Goddess of the Underworld Niflheim, will soon find a way to unleash the armies of the dead, and when that happens there will be no hope for men. Your training here must be quick. In a year's time, you shall be back to the golden land of Asgard, to train together with the Chosen One, Midgard's Akkeri, your bonded one, the Black Rider. The boy shall undergo terrible things during his training on Asgard, and when he emerges to train with you, he will never be the same again. If things go too badly, he will have a difficult time even remembering who you are. My rider was the same when he endured it. When I first saw him after his individual education was complete, he was hallowed, broken. He was once a beautifully minded elf of the kingdom, but his very soul had been altered by the viciousness of the Asgardian training. The education has its benefits, but men and elves are weak, and can easily succumb to the horrors it instills. Be warned, when you see your rider again, he may not be the same."

Toothless snarled angrily, diverting his attention from the exercise."If they lay a hand on Hiccup, they shall answer to me,"he growled savagely."Even Odin himself will not withstand my wrath. I shall burn Asgard to the ground, with the screams of men and the smell of blood, if Hiccup is ruined by any foul training!"

Brenakir grinned, his sharp teeth bared in the morning sunlight.

"I felt the same way when Kaldr returned,"he said."I was angry enough to kill everyone on Asgard. Believe me, they did much more than simply lay a hand on him, and they will do the same to Hiccup. But eventually, I too came to understand the purpose of such a violent and bizarre training. My rider can no longer be swayed by the minds of immortals, despite his being only a normal elf with no godlike abilities. His talents far exceed those of the average elf, and he is more than capable in every form of combat, aerial or ground. The training was exceedingly helpful, even if it required the destruction of some of his personality."

"I still do not approve, my good Kenna,"Toothless growled."And the Asgardians certainly did not treat me well during my stay. I spent my time in the supposedly beautiful, golden city in the cell of an impenetrable dungeon, across from a humanlike creature who had godly powers. He struck me as a similar man to my rider. I wonder -"

SNAP!

Something cracked near Toothless' tail, and the leather of the tailfin flapped loose, becoming useless. The balance on the tail abruptly changed, and Toothless could no longer maintain his position. The black dragon roared as he lost control and began to plummet to the snowy, rocky peaks below.

"Toothless!"Roared Brenakir, diving after him."Watch out, for you shall crash into the mountains!"

Toothless desperately tried to right himself, but he was too late. He crashed heavily into the snow covered rocks on the side of the peak, causing a cloud of flying white dust that screened Brenakir's vision. Brenakir soared over the spot, trying anxiously to locate his fallen companion. At first he sould see nothing, but then he noticed a black object rolling down the slope, already almost at the bottom.

"Toothless!"He shouted, flying down towards the shape. As he was on his way, the Night Fury finished his fall and skidded to a halt at the base of the mountain, lying utterly still on a sheet of ice.

Brenakir soared down to the crash site and landed, his large talons crushing the loose snow as he hurried over to Toothless. The Night Fury lay on his side on the smooth ice, keening in pain. Bruises and cuts were all over his black scales. Brenakir stood over him sorrowfully and surveyed the damage.

"Why, Brenakir?"Toothless moaned, lifting his scaled head. "Why am I the one destined to carry the savior of Midgard? I am a cripple, my good Kenna. I am a broken vessel, a wing that no longer works. You can guide me down the right winds, my good Kenna, but I am like a bent arrow that cannot fly true, regardless of the skill of the archer. I feel so weak, so lost among the great dragons of the worlds. I am an Alpha dragon, the savior of an entire world, and yet I cannot manage fly without falling. It is an affliction that I am sorrowful to bear."

Brenakir dipped his head.

"I have nothing but the utmost respect for you, my good Night Fury,"he whispered."I would not be able to live with the misfortune of hampered flight. I admire you with every breath I take for your persistence. This is the third occasion it has broken. Can it be made better?"

Toothless groaned, shifting his weight in the snow.

"I thank you for your encouragement, good Kenna,"he said."But I do not think it can be fixed. My rider is a master smith, and this tail is the best I can wish for. But the metal that holds it together cannot resist the power of the cold, like many other things."Slowly Toothless crawled to his feet, his body covered with sores and bruises from the crash.

"What broke this time?"Brenakir asked, sniffing the damaged tailfin.

"I do not know,"Toothless replied, shaking the snow off his scales."But I had something like this happen with my rider on me, and, when he quit whining about how much the crash hurt, he said something about the 'Thor-blasted connecting rod.' I assume it has something to do with that. It cannot be helped. I will have to walk back to the city and ask the elves to repair it again."

Brenakir looked on sympathetically."It is a long hike, my good Night Fury. I am not enormous, but big enough to carry you. Let me help."

Toothless shook his head."I will have to make harder treks than this if the tail breaks in the war to come,"he stated."I should get accustomed to it. Fly on, Brenakir. I shall be at the castle in four hours, if I guess correctly."

"Never."Brenakir stood up to his full height."Never will it be said that Brenakir, Dreki of Alfhiem, left a companion behind while he still had fire in his belly. If you insist on walking, I shall make the journey with you. But I believe it is not necessary. Let me carry you, and when we get back to the castle I will tell my Riddari, Kaldr, that I will tolerate no more of this nonsense. You could be killed if the next crash is bad enough. I know there is a way to fix it permanently, but Kaldr is waiting, for reasons that I cannot understand. I shall carry you back, and when we arrive the tail shall be mended once and for all."

"How is that possible?"Toothless demanded looking up at his trainer."The 'Thor-blasted connecting rod' can never be made so perfect that it will not break again. Nothing can. How can you say that with truth, my good Kenna?"

Brenakir did not answer at first. He merely seized Toothless' hips and shoulders in his large claws and prepared to lift him.

"It is not the equipment we shall fix,"he said. Then, he spread his wings and took off, heaving Toothless in the direction of the castle.

"I cannot understand you, my good Kenna,"Toothless said curiously, as he was carried through the skies."But I cannot complain, if you claim to have a solution. Take me to the castle, and do what you will."

There was no more talking for the next fifteen minutes as Brenakir struggled mightily to carry the weight of Toothless over the snowy landscapes of Alfheim. But sooner than they expected, they landed in the courtyard of the castle, Brenakir's powerful wings blasting loose snow across the stone square.

"Dreki Brenakir!" the nearby elves shouted, running to Brenakir and Toothless with looks of concern on their fair faces. All of them were tall, broad shouldered, and had sharp eyes with jolly faces and pointed ears. They could run like deer, and they surrounded the two dragons in an instant.

"My good Dreki!" one of them said. "It is a difficult flight from the Alfhiem range to here, and carrying a burden! Let us get you some food, my good Dreki Brenakir, and for the good Night Fury also!"

"No,"Brenakir snarled in Dragonese. No elf could understand him, but he began to use gestures that the eves were able to decipher as, "I need to see my rider. Bring us to him."

"As you wish, Dreki Brenakir!" the elves cried in unison. "To the palace! Captain Kaldr is engaged within."

The elves ran ahead of the two dragons, leading the way. Toothless, using Dragonese, said to Brenakir,"They still only give you a respectful title, and not myself. They seem to neglect me whenever you are around. Why is it so, my good Kenna?"

"Because I am their Dreki, and you are not,"Brenakir replied."I am an Alpha on Alfheim, and when I met my rider, Kaldr, we instantly bonded and became one, just as you did with Hiccup. When Kaldr was trained, he became Captain and Riddari of Alfheim, and, as his dragon, I received the title Dreki of Alfheim, since I am the dragon commander of our troops. I am also the dragon of their army's leader, and as such I am treated with the utmost respect. Keep in mind that they do not forget you exist when I am with you, but they do ensure that I am treated with more honor than you are, for the reasons I described."

"We are both Alphas,"Toothless growled."It would be just if we were treated as equals in that regard, at least by my way of thinking."

Brenakir barked a dragon laugh. "It is true, my good Night Fury. However, they will never understand that, I fear."

The two dragons came to the white doors of the palace, and the elves, with smiling, laughing faces, gestured them inside.

"Let us see my rider, Night Fury,"Brenakir stated, as they strode into the royal quarters."I am speaking with him right now, and I am telling him that the time for delay is over. Let us correct your problem before it gets worse."

Toothless was always awed by the way Brenakir and Kaldr communicated, through their mental bond of rider and dragon. It was the first thing Brenakir had taught him; how to do so with his rider. When Toothless returned to Hiccup they would be able to speak through their minds, and not just through body language. Toothless was very excited to try it for the first time, once he returned to Asgard.

Brenakir paused, listening to his rider speak to him through their mental bond. He then smiled a big dragon smile.

"He agrees,"he stated."We have a gift for you, my good Night Fury. Come, my rider is in the next room, with someone you will like very much to meet."

"What is it?"Toothless demanded, hurrying after his trainer."Why do you have to be so secretive, my good Kenna? What is occurring?"

Brenakir came to an open door which led to a large, golden hall. Instead of answering, he gestured Toothless inside with a clawed foot. Going through the door, Toothless halted, dazzled by what he saw.

A young woman, who looked to be only eighteen or twenty, stood at the center of the room. Beside her, with his head bowed and hand over his heart in a sign of respect, was Kaldr, Brenakir's elvish rider. However, Toothless failed to notice him. He could only stare at the woman. She had radiant golden hair, the smile of a sweet little girl, and eyes as deep blue as the sea. With a blue dress that matched her eyes perfectly, she smiled at Toothless.

Kaldr was speaking, but Toothless scarcely heard him.

"My good Night Fury, I am honored to present to you the light of Alfheim, our foothold, the Goddess Eir. She has the true heart of an elf, and the true might of the Gods. She commands the powers of healing, and deigns an audience with you, good Night Fury."

Toothless' green eyes were wide. Even through the senses of a dragon, the beauty of the woman was astounding. He dipped his head, speaking reverently in Dragonese. He knew that no one would understand him, but Kaldr would be able to see that he was informing the woman she was welcome to speak with him.

However, Kaldr did not need to translate. The woman stepped forward, and spoke to Toothless.

"I am honored to meet you, my good Night Fury," she smiled at him. Her voice was so sweet that Toothless felt listening to it was like a ray of warm sunlight striking his scales. It was like no other feeling he had ever seen. The bruises and sores on his body vanished as if afraid of her voice. Astounded, Toothless raised his eyes to look at her.

"I am the Goddess Eir," she said, the dazzling smile still present on her perfect face as she stepped softly towards Toothless. "I have knowledge of all things living, all things that have beating hearts, all things that breath air to live. I know everything about the virtue of life, and for that reason I also know more about pain than any other."

She now reached Toothless, and she stroked his neck with a soft hand, her touch immediately making Toothless relax, completely calm and soothed. He felt no sorrow, no pain, and no sadness. The Goddess continued to caress his black scales, speaking so softly only he could hear.

"I know what you feel, my good dragon," she whispered, laying her forehead against Toothless' chest. "And what you have felt. I know. The pain you have endured throughout your life has been terrible. The bola striking you, tearing the flesh on your tail, forever depriving you of the grace of true flight. I can feel it even now, radiating from your memory. So much pain."

She moved down Toothless' body, and, with a flick of her hand, the mechanism that supported his tailfin vanished from his back, clattering on the ground. She looked at it disdainfully, as if it were garbage. Toothless stared back at her with wide green eyes as she knelt by his injured tail.

"I know what you feel, my good dragon," she repeated softly. "But it is time that your weaknesses vanish. You have endured much already. You have graced the skies with your presence from the day you hatched from your egg, and your determination to fly despite your injury has sparked the sympathy of the Gods. You are destined for greatness, and best must have no defects to mar their actions or hamper their valor. I tell you, my good dragon Toothless, that you shall endure this affliction no more."

She laid her hands on the black tail, and Toothless raised his head in a silent howl as a surge of energy flowed from her touch through his body, filling him with the fire of life and the power of growth.

Toothless would never wear a prosthetic again.


	16. a monster

Chapter 16: A Monster

Back on Berk, war is now officially in progress, and I am also showing a new and very informative scene from Niflheim, which features the first appearance of the Hydra, Toothless' blood brother. As always, hope you enjoy!

Berk, Day 10 since Hiccup's Departure

"It was a blatant act of war!" Spitelout Jorgenson roared, rising from his seat and slamming his hand on the table. "Sending our heir to the Bog Burlgars was a terrible idea! We should have known they were never to be trusted!"

The village shouted their agreement, banging their fists on the tables in wrath. The news of Hiccup's disappearance had spread like wildfire across the island, and every single one of the Hooligans were now enraged that Hiccup, the bright young star of Berk, had been so abruptly taken from them. Astrid was the most affected by the event. She was sitting quietly with her family, her mother allowing her to lean on her with her arm around Astrid's shoulders.

"Why, though?" Gobber demanded, lowering his mug hand down to the table. "Why did they come up with such a stupid piece a yak-shit? Why didn't they say they tortured him to death, or something a lot worse?"

"They wanted to mock us!" bellowed Ingmar Hofferson, Astrid's father. "By giving us such an outlandish lie they were jeering at our honor! They betrayed the Code of Alliances, and then they spat in our face!"

Once more the villagers agreed, nodding their heads and muttering in fury.

"I think it is obvious that war is inevitable," Fishlegs stated. The entire village turned to look at him.

"I mean, they clearly did something to Hiccup," Fishlegs continued. "They killed him. It's as simple as that. It doesn't matter if they were spitting on our honor or not, we are at war with the Bog as ofright now. The question is no longer what the Boggies meant by such a foolish and stupid falsehood. Now our concern lies in what is to be done." He emphasized by thumping his finger on the table.

"What should be done, Fishlegs?" Chief Stoick demanded, looking at the chubby boy. It was clear that Fishlegs had something on his mind, and whenever that occurred, it was a good idea to listen.

"Well," Fishlegs said, twisting his fingers nervously, "I think it the most likely occurrence that the Bog Burglars did not believe the rumors of Berk riding dragons. They sent the message with a false request to us so that they could see if the reports were actually true, not so that they could be trained themselves. When Hiccup arrived on the back of a dragon, a Night Fury, no less, it would have terrified them as much as would have terrified us if it had occurred to us before we understood dragons."

"That is no excuse to shoot down our heir!" A female Viking shouted from the crowd.

"I'm not saying it is," Fishlegs confirmed calmly. "I am only saying that as soon as Hiccup arrived, they were afraid, and shot down Toothless, probably after he landed on the island. Hiccup was killed at the same time. After realizing that they had murdered the heir to Berk and therefore begun an inevitable war, what is the first thing they would have done?"

The Great Hall was silent, and Fishlegs continued.

"They would have immediately sent ships to their allies," he affirmed, thumping his hand on the table. "They would ask for help to defend their island against the 'demons who ride on dragons.' Almost all the tribes who do not yet have alliances with the dragons would answer the call. These tribes would be the Outcasts, the Muderous, the Beserkers, and most importantly, Hysteria. These messages would have been sent at once, the day Hiccup arrived, so those boats have been on the water for five whole DAYS as ofnow. All of them should have reached or be near their destinations by now, and reinforcements will soon be coming to the Bog – lots of reinforcements. After they sent these messages, they began to prepare their island for dragon war, which is exactly what we saw while we were there."

He paused for effect, and no one broke in. They all waited for him to go on.

"The war will have two main forces," Fishlegs went on. "Our side, the Berkians, will have two allies assisting us; the Meatheads and the Bashem tribe. Our advantage is solely the fact that we have dragons. With the amount of allies the Bog will be able to get, they will outnumber us by a lot. Dragons are our only hope. This means that we MUST strike the Bog while we have the upper hand. Right now is the time when the Boggies will be weakest. We need to hit them now, and hit them hard, ending this war before it even begins. If we have control of the island when their reinforcements arrive, then they will be forced to turn around and go back, for we will have already won. However, if we wait, they will only get stronger. Vikings from all the other tribes will flock to their aid, like the Outcasts, who live very near to them. And if Hysteria goes to their assistance, then we are doomed. Hysteria has a MASSIVE army and fleet. Even with the riders from Bashem Island, Meathead Island, and Berk combined, it will be a miracle if we defeated them. We must not allow that to happen. The Bog must be crushed immediately."

The villagers nodded in agreement, murmuring among themselves.

"What do ya suggest we do first, Legs?" Gobber asked from his seat near the young Viking.

"Well, the first thing we should do," Fishlegs stated, "Is to send word to our allies as fast as we can. Get Terrors in the air at once, as in RIGHT NOW. Muster every dragon rider in the archipelago and get them on Berk as fast as possible, ready for war. In this we also have an advantage, for our transport is ten times faster than theirs. While that is happening, we need to strike the Bog ourselves, immediately."

"What do you mean by immediately?" Ingmar Hofferson asked.

"I mean, like, tomorrow," Fishlegs replied calmly.

The villagers whoaed and muttered among themselves.

"This attack would just be quick, simple raid," Fishlegs confirmed. "It would be small, but large to enough to have the goal of at least weakening them, if not destroying them. After all, it is possible, although not likely, that Hiccup is still alive and a prisoner on the island. We would search the place for him in this raid as well, and map out the area for a future assault. By the time this raid returns to Berk, our allies will have arrived, and a REAL attack will be launched, with EVERYTHING we have. We will burn their island to the ground, and then turn back for our homeland, ignoring the arrival of their allies, who will leave in disappointment when they realize we have already won. It is possible they would attack us by themselves, but without having a base like the Bog, they wouldn't get very far."

Fishlegs looked across at Stoick.

"So, in order for that to work, we need to get some Terror mail sent to Bashem Island and the Meatheads at once."

Stoick rose to his feet.

"You heard the boy!" he shouted. "Get us some Terrors, and prepare them to carry a message! War is upon us, Berkians, and we need to prepare!"

The villagers cheered in agreement, several rushing out to recruit some Terrible Terrors to carry the messages to the allies. Meanwhile Spitelout brought a paper and charcoal pencil to Stoick so he could write the messages.

"Fishlegs, dictate this for me," Stoick said, his hand ready to write.

"Okay, Chief," Fishlegs said. "Begin it with the usual courtesies, of course, and address this one to Mogadon of the Meathead tribe."

Stoick's hand danced over the paper as he started to write the letter, conveying the traditional Chief's greetings and other cultural introductions to letters.

"All right, now what?" Stoick demanded, looking up.

"Okay," Fishlegs replied. "Now write this:

Chief Mogadon, as was to be expected, war has broken out with Bog Burglar Island regarding our alliance with the dragons. We sent our heir, Hiccup Haddock, to the Bog at their request in order to teach them the ways of dragon riding just as we did with you. However, upon Hiccup's arrival, he was treacherously murdered. As a result, we are now commanded by our Viking honor to strike down the Bog Burglars for their misdeed. We are using Article 1 in the Code of Alliances to demand that you come to our aid in this endeavor. Send every available dragon rider on your island to Berk without the slightest delay. We can win this war easily if we strike quickly. In the name of the Gods, I exhort you to hurry, and come to the aid of Berk in these trying times."

Fishlegs paused. "Sign it, date it, and seal it. Then write another one that is addressed to Chief Elcroy from Bashem Island."

Stoick nodded, his head bent over the paper as he sealed it, stamping the wax with the Berkian crest. Writing another as fast as he could, he did the same with it, and then called for two Terrible Terrors. The messages were attached to the two dragons, and they were immediately released from the Great Hall, speeding towards the two separate islands of Bashem and Meathead.

"Now that that task is complete," Stoick said, "it is time to launch a raid. The attack must be sudden and quick. It will leave tonight, so that it will arrive by nightfall two days from now. I cannot send too many dragon riders on this assault, because I need to have Berk prepared. So I will only send a few, the young men of the village. Snotlout."

The Jorgenson boy leapt to his feet, waiting to hear Chief Stoick's command.

"You will lead a raid on the Bog," Stoick ordered. "You shall leave tonight at sunset, as soon as the dragons that flew to the Bog earlier are rested. You will be accompanied by Fishlegs, Astrid, and the twins, plus any other young rider that you deem old enough to join you. I leave the details of the attack to you, but I want as much of their dragon killing weaponry destroyed as you can possibly manage."

Astrid had been silent throughout the entire meeting, with her mother comforting her, but at this announcement she leapt to her feet in protest.

"Chief," she objected. "With respect, I see the idea of putting Snotlout in charge to be absurd. He has not been involved at all in the previous negotiations with the Boggies. Fishlegs and I have been, and we also know what the Island looks like and how best to attack it. I thinkIshould be leading this raid, not Snotlout."

Stoick smiled grimly.

"You are blunt, lass," he stated, "but I would not give the authority of this raid to you, for two reasons. One, like me, your grief may blind you in your decisions. Hiccup was most likely as dear to you as he was to me, and in the choices regarding what is to be done about him cannot be determined based on sorrow or anger. That is why I have been asking for suggestions – because my thoughts are even now clouded by anger and lust for vengeance. I am afraid orders you give during the course of the raid will be based not on logic, but on your desire for retribution. So I will not give you the authority to make choices that could affect others badly. Second, since my son has fallen, Snotlout is now the new heir to the Hairy Hooligan tribe."

He paused, letting the information sink in. Then he continued.

"As such, he needs to learn to lead. This is why I have given him charge of this mission. However, I will insist that he listen attentively to any suggestions from his companions, especially Fishlegs. Sit down, lass, for I shall not change my mind."

Astrid sat down heavily. It did not help her mood to remind her that Snotlout was to be the next chief, now that Hiccup was dead. It was a terrifying thought.

Snotlout, still on his feet, spoke.

"You can count on me, Chief. We'll do a lot of damage to that stupid Bog Burglar Island. If they think they can mess with us, the Berkians, and get away with it, then they can think again! They'll pay for their treachery!"

The village roared their agreement, banging their fists on the table. Snotlout was standing proud and tall, an arrogant grin on his broad, snobby face. Berk was at war.

Deep Niflheim, Day 10 since Hiccup's Departure

"WHAT!" the woman roared, leaping from her iron chair and causing the huge Skrill and his rider to shrink back in fear. "What did you say happened to the boy!?"

"He was taken, my Queen," replied the man in brown armor, bowing his head in shame. "I had an encounter with some Berkian shieldmaiden, and she informed me that the boy had gone to another island. This young bitch was also a talented dragon rider, and she escaped me. Naturally, I did not pursue her, and instead went straight for the island she mentioned. The beings on that island were greatly afraid of me, but when I asked where the boy was, I received some very discomforting news."

"Do not tell me that he was taken by the Gods," the woman said icily.

"I am afraid he was, my Queen. The inhabitants of the island saw the BiFrost appear in the sky and take him, about seven days ago right above the sea. The boy is no doubt now in the hands of Odin."

The woman screamed, a piercing shriek that echoed in the black caverns. Drawing her blood red sword, she swung it viciously at the enormous beast beside her. Black blood spurted, and an enormous black head tumbled to the ground in front of the brown clad rider, shaking the stone floor when it struck. In the place of the severed, bleeding neck there grew two more heads, and the Hydra roared in pain as it regenerated.

"Do you see that, Lord Zyon?" the woman demanded, pointing at the large detached head on the ground. "That is what will happen toyouif you fail me again."

"My Queen!" the man was angry, and he stepped forward. "Do not deign to threaten me by removing another of the Hydra's legendary heads! I have served you faithfully since I left the Asgardians, and in this instance I have done all I could to seize this Black Rider for you! I am the only one who can pass freely from Helheim to Midgard, and you know this. You would not dare to kill me, my Queen. However, your faith in me may be misplaced after all. If you threaten me and my dragon again, I swear on the gates of Niflheim that I shall abandon your evil cause! We shall see if you can manage this war without me, my Queen of the underworld!"

The Hydra roared in anger, spreading its massive wings and leaning each of its thirty-five heads down to face the man in brown. Each one was larger than the man himself. It snarled viciously with thirty-five fierce tongues, and the man was thoroughly cowed. Stepping backwards, he knelt, trembling in fear.

"Forgive me, my Queen Hel. I was too hasty with my speech. However, I do maintain my threat. I am serving you better than any devil or demon or other subject in your kingdom, and you should recognize that, not abuse me. In fact, I am one of your few subjects that will possibly be able to stand against the Black Rider when he completes his training. There have been only three deemed worthy to be trained by the one and only Asgeirr of Asgard, and I was the first. The boy – whose name is Hiccup – will soon reach my level of power, and if the prophecy is true, all will be lost for you. If I turn against you, nothing will withstand the might of your opposition. Remember that, my Queen, for not even the Hydra himself shall scare that fact away."

The woman flicked her wrist in a commanding gesture, and the Hydra folded his wings and sat down once more, removing its heads from in front of the man's face.

"I hear your position, my Lord Zyon," the woman replied. She was calmer now, and sheathed the red sword that she still held. "I do value your service, and I would not lose you if I could help it. But I tell you now, if you turn against me and my wishes, you shall suffer more greatly than anyone ever has. Even now I am tempted to murder you, but I have use for you still."

The man rose to his feet.

"I am yours to command, my Queen."

"Do you still have an agent among the Berkians? A spy that can keep you informed of any activities on the island?"

"I do, my Queen. I just spoke with the informant before coming here."

"Can your spy maintain vigilance?"

"I can see to it."

"Do so. Have your spy remain on Berk for the duration of the Black Rider's absence. The first thing the Black Rider shall do when completes his training will be to return to his homeland, unless I am mistaken. When he does, I want to know at once. Make sure that your spy remains on the island, and have the agent try to get into the commanding ranks of the Vikings, so as to be better informed of any news."

"As you command, my Queen."

"Is the spy reliable, Lord Zyon?"

"The spy is loyal to Berk and is a good friend of the Black Rider, but I have a threat that keeps the spy in my service. We will be informed at the moment the Black Rider returns to his home, be sure of that, my Queen."

"Very good. Now, I have another command for you."

"Speak, my Queen."

"How long will the boy take to complete his training? You have experienced it. How long until he is attacking us?"

"It varies, my Queen. I passed in four years myself, and the elf Kaldr, who trained after me, took longer. But I would guess that the boy shall pass quicker than either of us."

"Why, Lord Zyon? I thought your spy told you that the boy is skinny and weak. Such a person will take longer to train, am I correct?"

"I disagree with that for two reasons, my Queen. First, they will accelerate the boy's training to prepare him as quickly as possible, for they know you are close to unleashing the armies of the dead. Second, strength is not the main force you need in Asgeirr's ruthless education. It is all in your mind, the powers you need to succeed. This Hiccup is highly intelligent, and having experienced the training, I know it is intelligence that gives you victory, not pure strength alone. And believe me; Hiccup shall not be skinny when he emerges, for this boy will no longer be so small. He will turn into a warrior so menacing and deadly that even you may not withstand his might."

"Then we must act quickly, Lord Zyon. If this boy is as remarkable as you claim, then he shall use his tactics and power to tear my armies to the ground. I need my own strategist to compete with him."

"My Queen, there is no one to use."

"There is one, and he will serve me if I can get him."

"Where is he?"

Hel paused for a minute before speaking once more.

"In the dungeons of Asgard."

"NO!" the man shouted, stepping forward. "You cannot be thinking of rescuing Loki, the son of Odin!"

"I am."

"My Queen, Loki is the father of lies! Every promise he makes, every assurance that he will follow your commands, will always have to be doubted and will also need to be questioned and checked! Even if we manage to release him from the chains of the golden city, it will be inherently dangerous to have him among us. He is wily, ruthless, and cunning above all else! He will infiltrate our realm, and take it over by sheer sleight of hand and his blasted tongue of silver!"

"How do you justify this belief, Lord Zyon?" Hel demanded, leaning forward on her metal throne. "He is only a normal God with unique powers. I am not. I surpass in power all the Gods, except perhaps Odin himself. I can check him."

"I served under this God for many years, my Queen, and I can tell you now that the God Loki is themost deadly creature on every world of Yggdrasil. He is so talented in the art of lying, cajoling, flattery, and battle tactics that he nearly destroyed the entire world of Asgard singlehandedly! It was only through sheer dumb luck that Odin captured him at all! For his terrible crimes he is imprisoned in the lowest level of the Asgardian dungeons, which are impenetrable. How do you plan on removing him?"

"Leave that to me. And if he is as cunning as you claim, then we have great use for him."

"He isdangerous,my Queen."

"Let me determine that. I have already decided that I shall have him. I will devise a plan for his escape. No dungeon is impenetrable. My scheme shall no doubt take time, however. While I devise it, something else must be done for me."

"Before you command me, can I make a request?" the man replied, bowing his head.

"Speak, Lord Zyon."

"Very well, my Queen. This knife." He pulled a long throwing knife from the depths of his cloak had held it out to Hel. It was the same one that had been thrown at his Skrill. "I would have the name of the owner of this knife. She is a female dragon rider on Berk that threw it into my dragon's eye several days ago. If I ever have time to do so, I shall hunt down the bitch and gut her for her impudence."

Hel smiled. "I can get you the name, Lord Zyon. Give the weapon to my seers before you leave on the mission that I am about to give you. If you desire to kill and cause pain, then I shall always oblige you."

The man bowed lower.

"I thank you, my Queen. Command me; I shall not fail you this time."

"This order should be simple enough to carry out, Lord Zyon. I do not expect any difficulty. After you give the new task to your spy among the Berkians, I need you find a man who is now somewhere in the archipelago. He commands one of the last two Alpha dragons that I can control, and his power over the dragon is too strong for me to penetrate. He also has an army of highly skilled men in his service. I want his Alpha dragon, but I also want his allegiance. All he desires is power, and I can give it to him – in exchange for his armies of dragons and men. I would have you go to this man and offer him a deal – if he refuses, kill him."

"Who is this man you speak of, my Queen?"

"He is no more a man than a beast, Lord Zyon. He is the perfect portrayal of my subjects; ruthless, inventive, and cruel. He is less than a hundred leagues from Berk as we speak. His name is Drago Bludvist."

High Asgard, Day 10 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup was sitting cross-legged on his bed, meditating with every fiber in his body. Occasionally a smile would flicker across his relaxed face as he recalled some humorous memory. Asgeirr sat on the chair at the new table, watching him intently. Presently he spoke.

"Your ten minutes is up."

Hiccup slowly opened his eyes, finishing his deliberation. Removing the Nadder scale from his neck, where he had slept with it all night, he gave it a loving pat and set it on his pillow. Uncrossing his legs, he slid off the large bed and onto the floor, where he walked to the table and sat.

"Are you calmer today, Riddari?" Asgeirr asked, as Hiccup attacked the food set out for him.

"Absolutely," Hiccup mumbled through his food. "I feel awesome, except my gut still hurts a little. That Wolf was a worthless coward to not heal it yesterday. The bruise I have from that mean kick is about the size of my head."

Asgeirr gave a savage grin. "The Wolf only likes making you feel pain, Riddari," he said. "You should certainly know that by now."

"I certainly do," Hiccup replied, still gobbling his food. "About halfway through the training yesterday, he went and got a sledgehammer - you know, the kind you use for hammering fence posts. He just went and bashed me around with it. My bones broke like twigs, and he loved it. First he mashed me into jelly and then squished my head like it was a beetle. Seriously, Asgeirr, what kind of a monster is this thing?"

Asgeirr shook his head. "The Wolf is simply a devil," he stated. "His monstrous actions are solely based on the fact that he likes to kill people. He enjoys it, but it is nothing personal. He is merely doing his duty, as prescribed by my training."

"Well damn your training, Asgeirr," Hiccup growled.

Asgeirr laughed. "Hate on, Riddari. The pain shall not go away until you kill the beast. Keep fighting."

"That's exactly what I'm doing," Hiccup replied. "But I just can't quite get control of my mind. I'm improving, to be sure, but there seems to be something missing, a key to mastering your sanity that I just haven't found yet."

He grabbed his cup and drank the milk in one gulp, while staring at the food on his tray.

"What's this new kind of fruit, Asgeirr?" he asked, even as he stuffed it in his mouth.

"That thing you are eating right now is called an orange," Asgeirr replied. "And it tastes a lot better if you take the rindoff."

Hiccup was already making a face at the distaste of the rind, and Asgeirr shook his head with amusement.

"You also have watermelon and apples," the trainer added sarcastically. "And the skin on the watermelon is usually removed as well."

"Well, thanks for letting me know," Hiccup replied, as he swallowed the last bit of his orange, peel and all. "Boy, it would have been nice to know about the orange peelbeforeI ate it. Uggghh. That tasted nasty."

Asgeirr chuckled. "I have no idea how Vikings manage to survive with the amount of stupidity they possess," he laughed. "I cannot believe you didn't have the sense to realize you had to remove the peel."

"Look, the only things that grow where I live are dry and tasteless," Hiccup muttered, attacking the watermelon. "And the people are even more so. Berries are the closest thing that resembles this stuff, and even then, they don't taste as good. Nothing grows at all that need to be peeled, where I live. And if they did, I wouldn't take the time to do it."

Asgeirr shook his head. "No wonder you're a toothpick."

Hiccup pointed his half eaten watermelon at Asgeirr. "I think I'm already getting stronger, Asgeirr. In fact, I know it. I get constantly healed when I'm in Ragnarok, and for some reason that seems to be affecting my muscle growth and strength. I was able to throw a table like this across the room just two days ago, and I have already gained lots of weight. My arms are thicker than they were when I arrived, and yet I've only been working for about a week. My armor is now tighter than it was when I first got it. Speaking of which, do I get a new suit of armor?"

Asgeirr nodded and pointed behind Hiccup. "There it is, Riddari."

Hiccup spun in his seat and glanced at the new armor. It was exactly the same as the first suit, except it was pitch black leather instead of light brown.

"Well, it's cool that you made it a different color," Hiccup said, turning back to face his trainer. "The bloodstains won't show as much as they did with that light brown leather. Is it a new method of messing with my mind, the black? Because if it is, then I won't wear the thing. Honestly, Asgeirr, what is the purpose of the armor? The Wolf just tears right through it as if it's a piece of paper. Ah, yes, that reminds me. Is there any paper around here? I need to do something."

"There is paper in your desk," Asgeirr replied curiously. "But what in the name of Thor do you want paper for?"

In reply, Hiccup stuffed the last of his food into this mouth and walked to his desk. Pulling out a large sheet of paper from one of the drawers, he took a charcoal and made two long, thick swipes with it. Putting the charcoal down, he displayed the result to Asgeirr. His trainer simply stared.

"It is the letter A," he said, confused. "May I ask what the Hel you plan on doing with that?"

"It's a part of my mental training," Hiccup replied, as he put the paper down and began to don the new suit of armor. "And you never did answer my question. Why is this armor black?"

Asgeirr shrugged noncommittally. "No particular reason, Riddari. It is simply designed to throw some variety into the training. Black suits you, anyway. When you are deemed worthy to ride in the name of Asgard, you will be called the Black Rider, as the prophecy holds. So get used to the color; it is yours until the day you die,BlakkaRiddari."

Then, with a snap of his arm, he hurled the metal cup at Hiccup, who had just slid the chestplate of the armor over his head. He saw it just in time. Ducking, Hiccup closed his fingers around the missile and, in the same movement, spun around and hurled it back at Asgeirr.

Asgeirr was startled, but his hand moved quicker than the strike of a snake. He snapped the cup out of the air cleanly, and held it up. He had an astonished look on his face at first, but then it faded and his expression turned dark.

"Around here I throw the cups, Riddari," he said, with a hint of anger. "However, it was a good catch. Congratulations."

Hiccup shrugged into the rest of his armor with a scowl.

"I get enough cheap shots in Ragnarok to be ready for that one," he growled angrily, tightening his buckles. "The Wolf used a damned sledgehammer on me yesterday, for crying out loud. And here you go and throw that cup at me while one of my arms is stuck in my armor. That was a coward's move, Asgeirr."

The big man grinned savagely. "I told you yesterday that life is not fair," he said. "Believe me; you will face many cowards in your life, Riddari. Assassins will always strike at your back, not from the front. Enemies will always seek to catch you in your weakest position. I am teaching, you, Riddari, for you need to get used to the unjust ways of the world."

He set the cup down with a bang, a tight frown still etched on his features.

Hiccup finished putting on his shoe, and then picked up the sheet of paper and charcoal. Giving Astrid's Nadder scale one final adoring glance, he stepped into the hallway without a second look at Asgeirr. He was beginning to dislike the man.

Striding down the hall in his unmarked new armor, Hiccup felt refreshed and invigorated. His stomach still ached, but he ignored it and tried to maintain a cheerful attitude, for that was imperative to his mental control. With a few more brisk steps he arrived at the door to his training room, which he knew was locked. The two golden-clad guards were standing at attention.

"Behold," Hiccup smiled at them. "I don't know if you two are the same losers from yesterday, but I have a surprise for you regardless." He raised the paper in front of the guards with a magnificent swoop of his leather bound arm. A massive letter A was displayed on the sheet.

"This," Hiccup announced, as if it were the greatest thing in the world, "is the letter A. Doesn't it look fabulous? I bet you've never seen it before, so let me tell you all there is to know about it. The letter A is the first letter in what we call the alphabet. It is one of the most used letters, since it is, as my friend Fishlegs says, a primary letter. Every word should have a primary letter, and since there are only six such letters, A is used very often when you speak. Anyway, this is how you say it." Hiccup opened his mouth and pronounced the A sound very slowly and distinctly, as if he was trying to educate a baby.

"Say it with me," Hiccup pleaded. "AAAAAAAA." Neither guard did so.

"Oh, come on," Hiccup said, throwing his arms in the air. "You'll never learn to speak if you don't at leasttry. But I'll ignore it. Here's how you write it." Taking the charcoal he had brought with him, he redrew the letter slowly and carefully on the opposite side of the paper.

"See, there's three lines," Hiccup explained carefully. "One goes up like this," - he drew the first line – "The second is the exact same thing on the other side," – he drew the second line – "And the third line connects the two in the middle, you know, like a triangular meat cache that we build for storage. You've seen those, right?"

Of course, only silence answered Hiccup.

"Well, that's enough letters for today," Hiccup stated, lowering the paper. "Let's do something else. Do you guys know any funny jokes?"

Hiccup waited for a reply, and, receiving none, continued.

"Well, here's a good joke. One of you guys actually has a pretty girlfriend."

There was no sound from the golden-clad men, but Hiccup chuckled.

"Get it? It's a joke that any of you could possibly be considered handsome enough to have a pretty girl. Ha ha. Anyway, I think I can help with that. Let me see."

He dropped the paper with the letter A on it and walked up to the guards, charcoal in hand.

"Let me draw a nice big moustache on your helmet for you," Hiccup grinned, taking the charcoal and scrawling an ugly, curling moustache on the beautiful golden armor. Turning to the other guard, he did the same, and then stepped back to survey his work.

"Wow, it improves your look tremendously," Hiccup laughed. "Maybe someone will actually notice you now."

The door clicked its ominous click, letting Hiccup know that he could enter at any time.

"Well, keep trying to pronounce the letter A," Hiccup instructed, as he reached for the doorknob. "And don't even think about cleaning off those moustaches when I leave."

He was about to enter the room, but one of the guards seized his arm, pointing at his hand. Hiccup was still carrying the charcoal pencil.

"Oh, right," Hiccup said. "No 'weapons' in the training room. Is this considered a weapon?" He handed the pencil to the guard. "Happy now?"

Neither of the men replied, and, opening the door, Hiccup stepped in.

Instantly the insanity attacked his mind, trying to blot out all his connection to his normal self. Struggling mightily, Hiccup was able to delay the process, and focus on his own consciousness and being for a little while. Looking up, he saw his arch-enemy, The Wolf, standing in the same place he always did.

"Nice new suit of armor, Riddari," The Wolf mocked. "But don't worry – it will look like the last one here soon."

The voice tore deeper into Hiccup's sanity, and he replied by picking up a stone and mashing his teeth, biting back the pain. Spitting out the broken pieces, he threw the small rock at The Wolf. It bounced harmlessly off his breastplate with a dull thud.

"Showing some fight already, I see," The Wolf leered, stepping forward. "That is good to observe – Useless."

Hiccup's control snapped completely. Gnashing his jagged teeth, he howled his snarl of crazed anger and struck, swinging his claws.

The Wolf, with a big smile on his ugly face, dodged easily and ripped his own claws across Hiccup's chest. The new leather armor slowed the slash, however, and all Hiccup felt was four small scratches on the skin. Growling like a wild animal, he kept hacking madly at The Wolf. Then sharp teeth sunk into his arm as the Wolf blocked a blow by catching Hiccup's forearm in his mouth. Hiccup howled in pain as The Wolf's powerful jaws crunched down, tearing the tendons and muscles in his forearm. His left arm was now mangled and severely damaged. Facing The Wolf with only one good arm, Hiccup was helpless against the next brutal onslaught. Claws sunk into him from all sides, and, with one mighty kick, The Wolf broke Hiccup's left knee right above the prosthetic. Hiccup collapsed to the floor with a howl, blood oozing like water from his tortured body.

Crawling to his knees, Hiccup groped on the floor for a stone to throw, as The Wolf circled him menacingly.

"Ah, you are such a weak, worthless loser," The Wolf laughed. "Who can expect you to ever save them if you cannot even save yourself? The man who is unable to even stay on his feet against his own mind can never be a true hero."

The Wolf was now walking behind him, and Hiccup, on one knee, closed his eyes and tried to re-focus. It was impossible – the rage and fear in his mind was simply too much to overcome. Then there was a sharp hiss, and, opening his eyes, Hiccup saw The Wolf leaning down and looking at him from a range of several inches. The beast placed his clawed hands on Hiccup's shoulders and whispered in his face, the stench of his breath hitting Hiccup in the face.

"Astrid would be so ashamed of you," he whispered tauntingly.

Hiccup froze. The Wolf had never mentioned Astrid before, and as soon as he did, something began to change inside Hiccup's head. His crazed mind began to spin, to shake, as the name of his love began to echo in his head.

Astrid!A voice called from the depths of his being.Astrid!

Hiccup's mind cleared in an instant, all the horror that enveloped his soul vanishing, and being replaced with one thing; Astrid. The smells began to evaporate, leaving only wisps of blurry clouds in his brain.

"Get out, demons!" Hiccup roared aloud, right in The Wolf's face. "I am the master of my mind, not you! Be gone!"

The remaining insanity in his head seemed to shriek at him, and then, with a great explosion of light in Hiccup's mind, vanished completely. When his head cleared, nothing remained but Hiccup's old self. He had mastered the powers of Ragnarok.

His vision cleared. Raising his head, Hiccup looked up at The Wolf and growled.

"You know nothing of Astrid," he whispered, his voice still a raging snarl. "And you die today!"

Ignoring his terrible injuries, Hiccup lunged forward grabbed the Wolf's massive biceps, using the beast's own arms to haul himself upright. Staggering on one good leg, he wrestled The Wolf, his useless prosthetic dragging on the stone floor. He was still severely hurt, but his mind was clear. He was normal. Now he needed to think of a way to get past the iron claws and kill his most hated enemy.

The Wolf returned Hiccup's frantic grip, crushing the leanly muscled arms in his inhumanly strong hands, pushing Hiccup back while laughing.

"You will not win, Wolf!" Hiccup snarled, his face still inches from the bloody jaws of his enemy. "Evil never lingers! I will not lose to a demon the likes of you!"

"I can always linger!" The Wolf leered, almost joyfully. He had not noticed that Hiccup was now in control of his mind. "And you ALWAYS lose, Useless! It is what you were born to do. Losingisyour profession! Winning is something that you never knew, that you never achieved on your own! You saved your village, you claim, but how? Your dragon did all the work, you worthless piece of yak-shit! You didnothingbut take the credit for it. You are a failure, a disgrace, and a worthless burden to those around you!"

Hiccup wasn't listening to The Wolf. All his concentration was now on one thing – slowly adjusting his grip on The Wolf's thick bicep. He had shifted his hand so it was now no longer resting on The Wolf's bare muscle, but rather on the magical greave, the one thing in the room that could heal his injuries. If he could fix his damaged leg, he could certainly catch his enemy off guard, maybe to the point where he could get in a killing blow. Hiccup felt desperately for the buckler, and found it.

And twisted it.

The pain from the wounds in his body vanished, and relief swamped him like a flood of warm water. Regaining some of his former strength, he pushed harder against The Wolf's arms, starting to resist the beast. At the same time, his damaged knee healed, and he now had control of his balance and coordination. Soon it would be time to strike.

The Wolf was still tormenting him.

"The only thing you could ever do right was train dragons, Useless! However, that is not even an accomplishment. Thousands have done that so-called heroic deed. So what have you to be proud of? What can you look on with pride in your life? NOTHING, Riddari! You are useless! Do not think you can stand against anyone, let alone ME. I am death itself, I am the cause of all grief, pain, and despair, and you can never defeat that! You will never win, Riddari."

Hiccup smiled, even as his damaged teeth were mended by the healing powers of the buckler. Raising his head, he spoke with the command of fate itself.

"I already have."

Twisting out of The Wolf's iron grip, Hiccup spun around. Faster than the eye could see, hammered his newly healed metal prosthetic against The Wolf's knee in a solid, vicious, desperate kick. There was a sickening snap as the creature's bone broke, and The Wolf's knee buckled, his thick arms falling away from his sides.

Hiccup attacked. With all his pent up rage and energy, he tackled The Wolf at the waist, hurling the demon to the ground. The beast's broken knee caused him to have no stability, and he fell to the stone floor with a crash.

In a flash Hiccup was on top of him, pinning The Wolf to the ground and slamming his claws into the beast's side. Then with a roar of utter rage, he sunk his teeth into The Wolf's throat.

The healing process had taken away their sharpness, but it made no difference, the move worked. Hiccup felt his teeth sink through fur and skin, and then deep into The Wolf's jugular. Blood sprayed everywhere, dousing Hiccup's face with nasty-smelling fluid. The Wolf screamed in agony, making a sound so horrible Hiccup had never heard its equal.

As The Wolf struggled to get away, Hiccup realized that he was in an authoritative position. He had one hand was positioned under The Wolf's chin, digging his claws into the beast's hairy neck and keeping the sharp teeth away from his own, which were embedded in The Wolf's throat. With his other hand he was clawing his enemy's side, causing blood to spurt like water from his ribs. Hiccup was also, most importantly, using his knees to pin down the arm that held the buckler, making sure The Wolf could not access the healing device and save himself. Hiccup had utter control.

The Wolf was now screaming for air, flailing his arms and legs about like a dead fish. His one free arm reached over Hiccup's back, raking him with murderous slashes. Once, twice, three times the claws descended, shredding Hiccup's backand nearly causing him to faint from the pain. In response, he only bit down harder, the Wolf's blood filling his mouth. It tasted like molten lead on his tongue.

With one last, ear-splitting screech, The Wolf's struggles ceased. Hiccup, with his hand on the beast's neck, felt his pulse stop. Unable to believe it, Hiccup stopped stabbing the Wolf's side with his claws, opened his locked jaws, and stared down at his adversary.

The Wolf was dead.

With a cry of pain, rage, and happiness all combined, Hiccup lifted his head to the sky and bellowed his victory, his savage roar echoing in the empty stone room.

"I WIN!" Hiccup thundered, his voice now sounding more powerful than ever before. "NEVER AGAIN SHALL YOU FACE ME, WOLF! I HAVE BESTED YOU! I AM THE VICTOR NOW!"

Ignoring the searing pain that came from his back, Hiccup staggered to his feet.

"Asgeirr!" he shouted, knowing that his trainer was watching from somewhere. "I have passed your first Level! What would you have me do now?"

In reply, the door to the room opened, and the two golden-clad guards sprinted in. Hiccup stared at them as they raced past him to The Wolf, kneeling by his side. He also noted – with mild amusement – that they still had moustaches drawn on their helmets. However, he was much more interested in what they were doing. They had dropped their spears, knelt by the dead body of The Wolf, and twisted his buckler.

"NOOOOO!" Hiccup roared springing forward. He felt the cuts that layered his back begin to heal, but he had forgotten it. He only noticed one thing; The Wolf was getting up.

"YOU CAN'T!" Hiccup screamed, attacking the guards in a rage. "I KILLED HIM! I WON! YOU CAN'T BRING HIM BACK NOW! I WON!"

The Wolf was getting to his feet, and the guards grabbed Hiccup's thrashing arms. He was flailing about like a madman as the two men dragged him to the door. Hiccup resisted every step of the way. The Wolf stood up, and even as Hiccup was being taken away, he saw that the demon was smiling.

"You never win, Riddari," he laughed. "I will always be here. You never get rid of me. I am with you forever."

And Hiccup was thrown out.

Landing with a crash, he screamed like a madman, leaping back to his feet and trying to get back in. The door slammed in his face, and a latch clicked. Seizing the knob with a bloody hand, Hiccup tried to turn it but couldn't. Roaring in rage and frustration, he attacked the door, raking his claws across the solidstone. After two minutes, he gave up, and collapsed on the floor in defeat.

It wasn't fair. He had won. He had killed The Wolf. Asgeirr had lied. What had he done to deserve this? He had destroyed his enemy, mastered his mind, used his head to make quick efficient work of The Wolf, and yet they did not let him win. He pounded the floor with his fists, and then desperately tried to master his mind.

He was undergoing a different kind of madness now. Instead of the searing, destroying rage that he used while fighting The Wolf, he now felt, cold, hard, just anger. Then he made up his mind. He would not controlthisinsanity. Instead he would use it. He had all day to explore his surroundings - he would find Asgeirr and strangle him for what he had done.

Getting to his feet, he walked down the hallway, boiling with unchecked rage. He noticed now that there were only three doors in the entire hall. One led to his quarters, the other led to Ragnarok, and the third was at the end of the hall. He had no idea where it led, but he assumed Asgeirr used it to come and go. Reaching out, he tried to open it. Of course, it was locked.

But Hiccup was not beaten so easily. The locking system was one he had never seen before, but it had to be at least similar to the kinds he had noticed on Berk. If he could find something, he could perhaps pick it. Walking back to his own room, he realized with astonishment that it was locked, too! Apparently they had thrown him out here to brood in the hallway until someone decided to let him enter. It was as if they were asking him to pick a lock.

Intrigued and still fiercely angry, Hiccup examined the mechanism of the lock. It looked rather complicated at a first glance, but the concept was actually simple enough. A key of a certain shape had to be inserted to make the lock work. So all he needed was to make a device that did the same thing. But how could he make one? If he had access to the desk in his room, he could probably construct something in minutes. Now, however, he only had a few things, and Hiccup listed them out loud.

"All right, I've got sharp, long fingernails. That's one thing. Second, I've got a paper with the letter A on it lying on the floor by the door to Ragnarok. That's useless, but there's a charcoal pencil there with it, and it might be handy. Third, I've got my armor, and that's my best bet."

Reaching for the buckles on his new black armor, he tore one of them off. It was basically a bent wire that was made into the shape of a clasp. With his fingers, Hiccup bent it into the rough shape of a key. Running back down the hall, he picked up his charcoal pencil. He stuck the wire into the charcoal and made a long, odd looking device.

Hiccup, his heart beating with excitement and anger, pushed his makeshift key into the lock. It didn't work at first, but all Hiccup had to do was bend the metal a little after each failure until it slid all the way in. The entire process only took him twenty minutes.

"Suck on this, Asgeirr," Hiccup snarled, turning the key. The lock clicked. Kicking open the door, Hiccup leapt to a fighting stance, ready to take on anyone. Instead, there was only a thin hallway leading to a much larger one. On the large hallway he could see people moving back and forth.

Hiccup chuckled, but he was still enraged. "In your face, you spiteful Asgeirr," he growled. Pulling his key out, he closed the door and placed his own key in the lock on his side of the door. This would prevent anyone from unlocking it from the inside. No one could follow him now.

Taking a deep breath, Hiccup prepared to walk into the busy hall.

"I'm going to find Asgeirr and tear him to pieces!" he muttered, and then strode out into the passageway, with was full of activity and bustle.

Immediately Hiccup became the center of all attention. Every man, woman and child walking by stopped to stare in awe at the strange boy in torn black armor, his face doused in blood, with clawed fingernails on hands that were covered in ugly, black gore. The smell of Hiccup alone was repulsive, and people covered their noses as they gaped at him.

Everyone shied away from Hiccup as he began to walk down the hall, determination and viciousness in his step. Women shrank back from him with fear in their eyes. Men looked around nervously, as if for help. Children hid behind their mother's skirts or looked at him with big, round eyes. One of them could not stop staring, and Hiccup growled at him savagely as he passed, spitting out black Wolf blood from his mouth. The child's mother screamed and pulled the boy away. Someone shouted and reached at him, and Hiccup slashed back with his sharp claws, causing the yeller to fall back with a shout.

Baring his bloody teeth, Hiccup snarled at anyone and everything that he saw, daring them to yell at him one more time. Soon the hallway was filled with silent, staring, terrified people. Hiccup assumed they were all Asgardians, but he didn't really care. He was really, completely, and truly angry.

Reaching the end of the hall, he turned down a side doorway and saw guards running towards him with swords drawn. Apparently someone had reported that he was on the loose. With a demonic cry, Hiccup leapt away, sprinting down the hallways and through rooms in random directions. He shoved his way throughfrightened people as he dodged through doorways and bounded over tables and chairs. Crossing a large room, he kicked open a door and abruptly found himself face to face with three people in a crowded hallway.

Two were guards, and the other was the golden-haired girl, Odin's Little Seer.

Hiccup wasted no time. With a cry of utter rage, he sprung forward, seizing the girl's neck and throwing her against the wall his hand around her throat.

The two guards attacked instantly, but Hiccup, in his maddened state, was deadly. He kicked the first one away with his metal leg, and then, with his free hand, slashed his claws across the second one's face. Both fell to the floor, and as they got up to attack again, Hiccup raised his hand.

"ONE MORE STEP AND SHE DIES!" he roared, tightening his grip on the little girl's throat. The guards froze as Hiccup's claws sunk into the soft, glowing skin of the girl, dripping clean, red blood down her white dress and onto the floor. She was gasping for air and clutching at his arm, her eyes wide. Hiccup turned away from the guards and focused on her frightened face.

"WHY DID YOU TELL THEM ABOUT ME?!" Hiccup screamed. "THEY DROVE ME CRAZY! I AM NOT WHO I AM ANYMORE! I'M BEING DESTROYED, YOU LET THEM DO THIS TO ME! WHY! IN THE NAME OF ODIN, WHY?"

A crowd of both guards and ordinary people had gathered around the scene. A half circle of golden-clad men had their swords drawn, ready to attack Hiccup as soon as they could, and there was a knot of horrified and curious Asgardians staring at Hiccup from behind them. It was a bizarre spectacle.

The purple-eyed girl gasped for air, her small hands gripping Hiccup's arm weakly. The gore that covered Hiccup's black armor stained her soft fingers as she struggled helplessly in his grip.

"I had – I had to," she whispered. "It is what I – I have to do. I serve Odin, I have only ever served - Odin. I do as – as he bids, in everything. Please – let me – let me go." She began to kick feebly.

Hiccup was furious. He did not let go, and only tightened his grip on her beautiful neck in his rage. Her face began to turn blue, and she kicked out desperately at Hiccup. The people around began to gasp in horror at the sight, but the guards were still motionless. They feared that if they attacked, Hiccup would tear her throat out, and, in the mood Hiccup was in, he certainly would have.

"WHAT KIND OF A GOD IS ODIN!?" Hiccup screamed. "HE TOLD YOU TO DESTROY ME, AND YOU OBLIGED? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ANYONE? YOU ARE A MONSTER!"

The girl's eyes were bugging out of her skull, and in a few more seconds, she would pass out. But she managed to gasp out one final, soft sentence.

"I am not the monster," she whispered faintly. "No. YOU are."

Then, as if by magic, her purple eyes faded, and in their place were two small round glass mirrors. Hiccup looked at them, and saw himself reflected on their surface. Shaking in fear, he realized he looked exactly like The Wolf. Hiccup was only missing the hairy face or else it would be utterly the same. He had the exact eyes, teeth, and demonic look. He had been transformed into a devil.

With a cry of fear and horror, Hiccup released the girl's throat. With a gasp, she fell to the floor and collapsed. The guards struck. Hiccup was grabbed by every limb, and two of the men hammered punches into his gut, making him double over. The guards were absolutely enraged at what he had done, and made no attempt to hide the fact. Hurling Hiccup to the ground, they kicked him, punched him, and hammered him mercilessly with the ends of their spears. Hiccup cried, tears running down his face. But it wasn't from the pain. The Wolf's training made this feel like a soothing massage.

He was crying because of what he had become - a demon


	17. renewed

Chapter 17: Renewed

Berk, Day 11 since Hiccup's Departure

Astrid was once more in the blackness and dark of another vision. Around her echoed shrieks of dying men and bangs of clashing blades. A battle raged in the darkness, one she could not see, but only hear.

She ducked as a dark blade whistled over her head. Spinning around, she swung her axe viciously at her attacker's neck. Her blow struck home, and her axe sunk into flesh and bone as the creature's neck. It let out a dying shriek before it crumbled to the ground and vanished into dust. Astrid ignored it, and sprung forward once more, into a black cloud of dust.

"Hiccup!" she shouted, fighting her way through the blackness. "Hiccup, where are you?"

There was no answer. Only roars of dragons and the crackling of flames.

"Hiccup!" she screamed desperately. "Where are you?"

Still there was no reply, and Astrid found herself in front of a massive red door. With a battle cry, she kicked them open, and they slammed against the stone walls with a boom.A blast of hot air struck her, and she realized that the entire place was in flames, great tongues of fire dancing along the edges of the room.

In the center of the fire, she saw him. It was Hiccup, standing tall and proud with his back to her, facing an iron throne. At his feet lay a pile of dead and injured bodies, some still writhing in pain or groaning in their death throes. Hiccup was doused in black gore, covered from head to toe in the dripping, disgusting blood of his slaughtered enemies. Hanging limply from his left arm was a round, black shield with a strange red dragon crest, scarred with burns and arrows. In his right hand he held a sword of fire.

"Hiccup!" Astrid shouted, dropping her axe and running towards him.

Slowly Hiccup turned around to face her. He was helmetless, and his long brown hair billowed in an invisible wind that Astrid could not feel. The right side of his head was caked with his own dried blood, which flowed from directly above a jagged, ugly scar over his left eye. As his gaze met hers, he smiled in content, letting his shield fall to the floor with a clang.

"Astrid," he whispered.

Astrid, with a joyous cry, spread her arms and tackled Hiccup in a giant bear hug. Hiccup opened his left arm to receive her, and…

She passed right through him.

Gasping in shock, Astrid recovered her balance and whirled around. Hiccup was facing her, a sad smile on his pained face.

"I'm dead, Astrid," he whispered. "Remember?" He reached out with his free left hand. It looked perfectly normal at first, but as he stroked her cheek lovingly, there was nothing there – only a cold breeze as his fingers touched her skin.

"No!" Astrid shouted in fear. "You can't be! Hiccup, you're not dead, you're not!"

Hiccup looked sorrowfully down at his chest. Astrid followed his gaze, and gasped.

Hiccup's chest was torn open, and there was a gaping hole in his black armor. Blood was flowing like water from the mortal wound.

"They killed me," Hiccup said quietly. "I am gone, Astrid. My body is shattered. I have to go. Toothless is waiting for me in Valhalla."

"Hiccup, no!" Astrid cried, tears flowing down her cheeks. "I won't let you, I love you, and you can't just leave me now!"

Hiccup shook his head. "You can't cheat death, Astrid," he whispered, even quieter than before. "It is my time now. Tell dad to make Fishlegs the new chief. He's the only one left I can trust. I must go now. I love you, Astrid. You need to get out before it's too late."

He began to fade into a white mist, becoming transparent and ghostlike.

"NOOOOO!" Astrid screamed, reaching forward.

"I love you," Hiccup whispered, before vanishing into nothing. His sword clattered to the ground, the flames that engulfed the blade vanishing, revealing a jet black steel weapon. A cold breeze howled, and what was left of Hiccup was blown away with the chill of death.

Astrid fell to her knees and screamed up at the heavens.

"WHY?!" she yelled. "Hiccup! Come back to me, come back, I love you, you can't go!"

Falling on her face, she sobbed uncontrollably, the flames that surrounded the area slowly creeping towards her. All was silent except for the crackling of the firestorms and the sobs that emitted from Astrid. Even the mangled bodies that surrounded her had ceased to struggle and looked bleak and forlorn.

"Lady Hofferson!" a voice shouted faintly from the darkness. Astrid heard it, but did not reply. She was oblivious to everything that moved.

"Lady Hofferson!" the voice was closer now, and Astrid soon heard footsteps run up to her prostrate form.

"Lady Hofferson, we need to go!" a man shouted, touching her shoulder. "This whole place is about to collapse, and we have to be out of here! Are you injured?"

Astrid did not answer, and continued to sob uncontrollably on the floor.

"Come on, Astrid!" the man shouted, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Get up! We have to leave! Now!"

"No!" Astrid screamed at him, as he lifted her to her feet. "I have to stay! Hiccup is dead, I can't leave him!" She looked up at the man through her tear-filled eyes. He wore a blue and gold helmet with a dragon crawling down the top to form a threatening nosepiece. Behind the menacing helm were a pair of gleaming blue eyes. The man was huge.

"I know that!" he shouted back, dragging Astrid to a standing position. "Hiccup is dead, and you will be too, if you stay here! He would want you to live! Come, Lady Hofferson, or I'll carry you out!"

"No!" Astrid screamed, hitting the man with her fists as he tried to move her away. "I am staying here!" Her hands struck weakly against the man's blue and gold armor, bouncing harmlessly off a strange leaf-shaped emblem on the man's chestplate. His armor was also slippery with black blood.

"I'll carry you, then!" the man shouted, over the roaring of the flames. "Come on!"

Grabbing her by her waist, he slung her over his shoulders like she weighed no more than a baby. Astrid struggled, but she was no match for the man's sheer strength.

"Pu me down!" she shouted, hitting at him. "I'm staying here!"

"Oh no, you're not!" the man replied grimly. "We are both leaving this accursed place NOW!"

Turning, he ran out of the room, pushing through a wall of fire to get to the door. Astrid was seared by the heat as they passed through. Scarcely had they done so when there was a great crash, and the room they had just left collapsed with a deafening roar. Blocks of stone hurled past and shattered on the ground nearby. One struck the man carrying her, and he pitched to the ground with a cry, his helmet clattering away on the floor. Astrid fell off his shoulders and landed underneath him.

Looking up, she found herself staring into the face of the man who saved her. He had long brown hair with pointed ears, but a broad, strong face. The man was an elf.

Astrid's attention was diverted from the elf in the next instant, for the wall behind them began to fall on top of the two soldiers.

"LOOK OUT!" Astrid screamed, as the massive tonnage of rock fell on them. The elf twisted around and threw a leaf-shaped shield over the two of them in a desperate attempt to block the oncoming pile of stone. Then it struck them, and all went black.

Astrid woke up with a scream, clawing at the blankets of her bed.

"Astrid!" Someone asked anxiously. "Astrid, are you all right?"

Astrid sat up in bed, gasping for air. Once again, this dream had been vividly real. It was too real to have just been a dream. Something was happening to her. She was seeing visions, and in this one, Hiccup was truly dead. She needed to talk to Gothi about the meanings of these images.

"Astrid." Someone grabbed her shoulder and she started, whirling her head around to look at the person who had awaken her.

"Astrid?" Heather asked, concerned. "What's the matter with you?"

Astrid looked away, breathing hard.

"I had another vision," she whispered. "This time – I saw him, Hiccup. He was gone. He vanished. It was so real. I -" Astrid closed her eyes and bowed her head. "He's really dead, isn't he?"

Heather sat down next to Astrid and put an arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Yes, I think he is, Astrid," she said comfortingly. "It is hard to accept, I know. Losing a loved one is the hardest thing you will ever have to endure. I know it. I've had to go through it myself."

Heather wrapped both her arms around Astrid consolingly. "Yet, as difficult as it is to bear, you must get up and move on. Hiccup is dead, and your island is looking for a new leader, someone they can get behind and follow to their deaths. Snotlout is too stupid, and Fishlegs isn't enough of a soldier. They needyouout there, Astrid. You are a warrior, a thinker, a fighter. You need to go and support your village. Forget Hiccup. There will be a time to grieve for him, but that time is not now. I was sent to wake you. We're leaving for the raid on the Bog in twenty minutes. Stormfly is waiting. She has had plenty of chicken and rest. I made sure of that."

Astrid managed a smile.

"You remembered the chicken," she laughed, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Yep," Heather replied with a smile. "How could I not? Stormfly was the first dragon I ever rode on my own. I never forgot anything about her. I should get my own Nadder soon."

Astrid rose. "You really should, Heather. I'll help you pick one out when we get back from this raid." She paused, looking at Heather with a frown. Her friend was dressed in Berkian armor, with a black cloak and a black bow and arrow. "Are you coming with us, Heather?"

"Yes," Heather replied, standing. "I couldn't bear to stay behind while the rest of the teens had all the fun. You guys fought for me and my tribe when we were attacked by the Outcasts, and I plan on returning the favor. I've become a pretty good warrior, if I do say so myself." She patted the bow on her back. "And I can shoot really well with this thing."

"How are you flying with us?" Astrid asked curiously. "I thought you didn't own a dragon."

"Oh, your mother lent me hers for the raid," Heather explained. "Spike is quite the Nadder. In fact, she's almost as good as Stormfly. I'll use her for this trip, and then after I return her to your mother I'll have to get my own."

"I'm surprised mom let you use it," Astrid said, picking up her axe and strapping it to its usual spot on her back. "Usually she doesn't let other people ride her dragon. What made her allow you to take Spike?"

"Weeell," Heather admitted, "she kind of wanted me to make sure you were safe. I mean, she thought you would be really angry at the Boggies and would try to do something rash. When I asked her if I could borrow her dragon to go with you guys, she let me take Spike so long as I promised I'd keep an eye on you."

Astrid sighed, buckling her knife belt to her waist and picking up her cloak.

"Everyone is looking after me now," she grumbled. "First Fishlegs, and now you. I should talk to my mom about this whole 'look after me' nonsense. I think I can take care of myself."

"Wait, why is Fishlegs keeping an eye on you?" Heather questioned, curiously.

Astrid's smile immediately faded as she recollected the reason.

"Because Hiccup asked him to," she whispered. She closed her eyes once more, tears forming. "Even as Hiccup went off to his death, he made sure that someone was looking after me. He always cared so much about me. Why did he have to die? Why?" Astrid buried her face in her hands, tears starting to flow once more.

"Oh, don't, Astrid!" Heather cried, stepping forward and embracing her friend. "I didn't mean to make you think of it again, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She buried her face in Astrid's shoulder, squeezing her comfortingly.

"There's still a chance, Astrid," she whispered in her friend's ear."Maybe the Boggies are keeping him captive on the island after all. He could still be alive."

Astrid nodded, wiping her eyes. "I really, really hope so," she sobbed. "Ineedto find out during the course of the raid. I know Fishlegs will organize the attack somehow so that I can search the dungeons for Hiccup. Legs is as concerned about Hiccup as any of us, and won't pass up a chance to find him."

Heather nodded, releasing Astrid. "He'd better. I know Snotlout's supposed to be chieffor this attack, but we all know it's going to be Fishlegs that will do the real leading. He's a pretty impressive tactician, if you hadn't already noticed."

Astrid agreed. "He sure is, Heather. "And I won't tolerate any of Snotlout'sgobbledygook. If he tries to take control of the operations, I'll knock him out, especially if he refuses to let us look for Hiccup. Maybe I'll kill him instead. That would be a better thing for all of us."

Heather chuckled. "I would greatly appreciate seeing that."

Astrid grinned, throwing on her black cloak. "Is everyone dressed properly, Heather? I mean, in dark clothes? We're going to be attacking at night with only a few dragons, so stealth is absolutely vital to our success."

Heather chortled. "Um, yeah, Fishlegs made sure of that. He also added a fresh feature as well." Heather straightened up."Astrid, I regret to inform you that Stormfly is no longer blue."

Astrid stared. "What?!"

Heather laughed lightly. "Yep. Fishlegs went and painted every single one of our dragons with black char, so they could blend in perfectly with the night sky. Now they all look like demons from the underworld. It's actually pretty awesome. I'm guessing the paint won't stay on Hookfang, though, because as soon as he lights up, it'll all melt off."

"That's a good point," Astrid agreed. "But at least its Snotlout's dragon, so the Boggies will shoot at him first."

Heather laughed at the joke. "Poor Snotlout. It's got to be tough being someone everybody hates."

Astrid shook her head. "He's SO stupid. I swear, he's going to try and court me, as soon as Hiccup's funeral is over. I swear, if he does that I'll kill him." Astrid shook her head sadly. "Hiccup. I need to find him on that island, or else I will be lost."

Heather grabbed her friend's shoulders and looked deep into her eyes.

"Keep up hope, Astrid," she whispered. "There's still a chance. Maybe he's alive after all."

High Asgard, Day 12 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup woke with a start. It took him a second to remember what had happened to him the previous day, but slowly it came back to him. He had killed The Wolf, terrorized the citizens of Asgard, and strangled Odin's Little Seer. Then he had been beaten unconscious by the guards.

Groaning, Hiccup realized that he was very, very sore. Glancing down at his chest, he tried to move his arms, but couldn't. Looking at them, he saw that they were shackled to the bed by his wrists with thick iron chains. Apparently they had taken no chances with him when he had been in his maddened state. His hands were still caked with black dried blood, and his fingernails were still clawed and menacing. The next thing he noticed was that his arms were completely covered in sores, scratches, and bruises. The guards had been brutally vicious when they thrashed him yesterday. It was no wonder that his entire body ached. He was no doubt battered to the point of where he could hardly move.

Hiccup also noticed that he was still wearing his black, bloody, mangled armor. They had not bothered to clean him or disrobe him before throwing him back in his bed. Sighing, Hiccup closed his eyes and relaxed on his pillow, trying to soothe his troubled mind. It was difficult, since his arms were held firmly against the posts of the bed, but Hiccup really didn't mind. If they were going to keep him chained here all day, then so be it. He needed the rest.

Then he heard the door open, and footsteps sounded on the carpeted floor. His eyes tightly closed, Hiccup heard a soft thud as a tray was set on the table. No doubt he was about to begin another horrid day of training.

"Go away, Asgeirr," Hiccup groaned, his eyes still closed. "I've had a long week. I need to rest."

"I am not Asgeirr," a sweet voice replied.

Shocked, Hiccup snapped upright. His arms were chained, but he still was able to sit up in bed. His body ached in pain as moved, but he ignored it and stared down at the one who had spoken, wondering who could have come instead of Asgeirr. It was Odin's Little Seer.

At first Hiccup thought that she would be terrified of him, and rightly so. But the way she spoke and acted showed no sign of fear at all. Instead, she smiled at him and spoke.

"You look terrible, Riddari."

Hiccup saw with sorrow that the girl's neck was still marked from when he had strangled her the day before. Five distinct red wounds marked the spots where his claws had dug into her smooth neck. Hiccup bowed his head in sadness.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I never meant to hurt you. I was not myself yesterday. I was insane, and had no control over my actions. Forgive me."

The little girl's smile did not leave her face. "There is nothing to forgive, Riddari," she replied soothingly. "In fact, it isIwho should be beggingyourpardon. Even if you had not been driven mad, you would still have been justified in doing what you did to me. I gave Asgeirr all that I knew about you, and I did know that he would use it to hurt you. I am sorry for that, but I regret nothing. This training, brutal and unkind as it is, is necessary for you to be able to fight on the same level as the Gods."

She walked up to the side of his bed and reached for his handcuffs, intending to release him.

"Don't take them off," Hiccup warned. "I may go mad again, and I don't want to hurt you."

"I am certain that you won't," the girl answered. "You are quite calm now. I think you shall be fine."

She laid her hands on the iron shackle, and itmysteriously fell off his wrist with a clang. Walking around his bed to the other side, she freed his left hand also.

With a groan, Hiccup raised his arms and rubbed his wrists. As he got a closer look, he saw just how badly he had been beaten by the guards. His lean, muscled arms were now completely purple from the bruises. It looked disgusting and painful, which it was.

The girl picked up the cup of milk from the tray and handed it to Hiccup.

"Drink, Riddari," she commanded firmly. "You are weak."

"Yes, Sweet Little Girl," Hiccup answered, taking the cup from her and drinking.

The girl stared at him wonderingly for a second.

"What did you call me?" She called asked softly.

Hiccup took the cup from his lips and looked down at her from his seat on the bed. "I called you a Sweet Little Girl," he answered. "You don't have a name, so I had to call you something, and that seemed to fit your character best. Do you not like it?"

The girl shook her head. "No – I like it very much. Do keep calling me that, please. It is so much better than any other name I have been given."

"Sweet Little Girl," Hiccup stated, musing. "What does that mean in Old Norse?"

The girl smiled. "Aiah," she whispered.

"Then Aiah you shall be to me," Hiccup stated, smiling at her.

Aiah looked happier then Hiccup had ever seen her before. Her aura of light seemed to glow brighter in the dim light of his room.

"That is the best name anyone has ever called me," she whispered happily. "Do you know how I came to be, Riddari? How I was never able to be given a name?"

Hiccup nodded. "Aye. Asgeirr told me. You were created when a complex magical experiment went awry. You are not human, are you?"

Aiah shook her head. "I am not. In fact, no one knows what I am, not even myself. Naturally, when I was first brought into existence, I tried to run and play with all the other Aesir children. But I was too strange for them. I was above their understanding, and so they feared me. Everyone feared me. Even Odin does not truly like me; he values me for my powers and nothing more. No one I have ever met actually liked me for who I am – except you. Thank you, Kappi." She was radiantly happy.

"Kappi?" Hiccup asked. "Why did you call me that? What does it mean?"

Aiah laughed. "Well, if you are to name me, it is only fair that I name you also."

Hiccup grinned. "Anything is better than the name Hiccup. Call me whatever you like."

Aiah smiled. "Then I shall name you Kappi, Riddari. It means hero in the ancient Norse language. You are to be the hero and champion of Midgard, and the title fits you." She clapped her hands happily. "You are now Kappi to me."

Hiccup nodded. "Kappi. I like it." With a final smile, he gave her back the metal cup and tried to get out of bed.

"No, you shouldn't get up just yet!" the girl cried. "You are injured -"

Hiccup tried to slide out of bed and failed. His sore muscles refused to work properly, and he collapsed on the floor with a groan. His entire body was covered in sores and bruises, and he ached so badly he could hardly stand.

"Aiah, I feel so weak," Hiccup groaned, writhing on the floor. Aiah reached down and touched his shoulder, even as Hiccup slowly rose to his feet with a wince of pain.

"Those guards really pitched into me yesterday," Hiccup moaned, straightening his back. "I am sore all over. I don't know how I'll be able to go through another training session today."

Aiah walked up to him and looked at his back. Her fingers traced the spot where The Wolf had mercilessly torn open Hiccup's back in the death struggle from the day previous. The armor was utterly shredded and ruined.

"What do they do to you in there that causes this?" Aiah asked in awe. "I repaired your armor from last week, and there were some damages that simply looked terrible. I know that they do horrible things to you in your training, but I have always been curious as to what. I asked the elf Kaldr about it when he passed several years ago, but he refused to tell me, saying that I would not like to hear it. What kind of torture do they put you through to make the armor look like this, Kappi?"

Hiccup did not reply, but instead hobbled over to the basin of water on a shelf in the corner. Taking a deep breath, he plunged his head in, washing the dried blood off his face and his hands. Water dripping down into his eyes, he raised his head and groped for something to dry off with.

"Here," Aiah said, and handed him a towel. Muttering thanks, Hiccup took the white cloth and dried his face and hands, wiping off the last remains of the sticky blood. He now looked at least decent.

"Do you want to know what they do to me in there?" he whispered. "I'll tell you what they do. They put me in front of this demon, a man with a wolf's head. He uses the memories, sounds, smells, and words from my past to drive me insane – the same information you gave Asgeirr. When he does this, nothing remains to me but the desire to kill this creature. I try, but he always wins. He mangles me, eats me, and tears me to shreds with metal claws of Dragon Iron. It was not until yesterday that I finally managed to control my own mind, and I won. I killed him."

Hiccup's tone began to grow angry.

"I was promised that as soon as I killed the damned beast, I would pass the Level, and I would never have to face The Wolf again! But Asgeirr lied to me. I killed The Wolf, but the guards came in and healed him, and then he told me that I will never pass. I will always have to fight him! Every day I will get beaten and tortured! I have no hope now. Nothing will save me. I am lost!"

"Kappi," Aiah warned. "You are growing angry again."

Hiccup froze, realizing that Aiah was right. He was beginning to go insane once again, his anger clouding his judgment. With a helpless moan, he sat down on his bed and buried his face in his clawed hands.

"What have I become, Aiah?" he whispered fearfully, trembling in both anger and fear. "I am no longer myself. The boy you met when I first arrived on Asgard could never have killed a beast by tearing his throat out; he could never have strangled a girl, even his most terrible fit of rage. And yet, barely a week later, I am doing it without even thinking. I saw myself reflected in your eyes yesterday, and I looked exactly like The Wolf, the demon that lives only to cause pain and death. I am afraid that is what I am becoming. What is happening to me?"

Aiah walked over to him and jumped up to sit next to him on the bed. Reaching up, she tugged his hands away from his despairing face and turned his head to look at her, tears trickling down his cheeks.

"You must remember who you are," she said, placing a hand over his chest. "You must always think of why you fight. Consider not of what you have to do, but rather why do you it, andwhoyou do it for."

Aiahreached over to Hiccup's pillow and took up Astrid's Nadder scale which still lay there. She placed it over Hiccup's heart and spoke again.

"You are Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, Riddari of Midgard, Savior of Berk, Pride of your Father, the Love of Astrid, and my Kappi. If you bind to that, then no demon from Hel, no God of Asgard, and no wolf-headed man can stand in your path." She smiled up at him. "Think always of that, and that alone, and you cannot be led astray." She paused. "I shall have to go soon, Kappi. Asgeirr is coming in a few minute to resume your training."

"Asgeirr can wait," Hiccup growled, getting up off the bed. "He's a worthless liar. I have lost all my respect for him."

"Asgeirr is a good man, Kappi," Aiah replied, following Hiccup's example and standing. She placed the Nadder scale back in its treasured position by his pillow. "He, like me, is only doing what is necessary for the preservation of Midgard. If that means lying and deceiving you, then it has to be done."

Hiccup sighed, looking down at her. "You may be right, Aiah. But I am still unhappy with him. He could have at least told me that I would never truly beat The Wolf. He could have had the common decency to let me know beforehand. Did he? No."

Aiah smiled sadly. "Alas, nothing is perfect," she said. "But we must fight on regardless of the cruelty and hatred of the world. Be courageous, Kappi, and you can never fail. But now I must say farewell. I have remained her too long, and I do not think I shall be able to see you again. I was not even supposed to be allowed to meet you today, but I needed to see you."

Hiccup knelt down and embraced Aiah, burying his face in her golden hair.

"I'm going to miss you, Sweet Aiah," he whispered. "I shall do as you ask, and fight on."

Aiah hugged him back, her arms wrapping around Hiccup's neck. "I shall try to come and see you whenever I can, Kappi," she replied. "I hope all goes well for you." She let go of Hiccup and kissed him on the forehead. "May the blessing of the Gods go with you, Kappi."

Hiccup rose. Reaching down, he brushed a lock of Aiah's golden hair behind her ear.

"I hope to see you again soon," he said sadly.

Aiah smiled. "I hope so as well. Remember what I told you."

Hiccup smiled, and Aiah turned and walked out, closing the door behind her.

Hiccup stared longingly after her for a minute, and then sat down at the table with a sigh. Aiah had brought in his food for him, and he attacked it, feeling suddenly ravenous.

However, he had barely started to eat when the door burst open again. Hiccup rose to his feet as Asgeirr stormed in. The man was livid with rage, and strode over to where Hiccup was standing.

"WHAT THE HEL WERE YOU THINKING?" he shouted at Hiccup. "You broke out of this area and terrorized everyone in the damned palace, and then you went and strangled Odin's Little Seer! It was absolutely outrageous. Odin nearly had you executed for it! The whole palace is now wild with fear of a crazed lunatic that was on the loose! What were you thinking!?"

Hiccup had listened to Asgeirr's outburst looking like he was about to explode. As his trainer finished, Hiccup snapped. Grabbing the table, he flipped it over, sending his food and his tray flying onto the ground with a crash. Leaping across the wreckage, he seized Asgeirr's collar with both hands and slammed the man against the wall.

"WHAT WAS I THINKING?!" Hiccup roared. "I WASN'T THINKING AT ALL! I WAS STARK RAVING MAD! THIS IS NOT MY FAULT! YOU CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN, ASGEIRR, NOT ME! I DIDN'T ASK TO BE PUT IN FRONT OF A WOLF THAT TURNS ME INTO A MONSTER, YOU PUT ME IN THERE! DON'T BLAME ME FOR WHAT I DID! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, ASGEIRR, NOT MINE! DON'T BE POINTING FINGERS AT ME!"

With a final shove, Hiccup released Asgeirr's collar and stepped back. His trainer said nothing. He merely stared in awe at Hiccup's ferocity. Hiccup took a deep breath and calmed himself.

"I understand that your job is to train me, Asgeirr," Hiccup growled. "And you have a right to be concerned that I broke out of this place and nearly killed someone. But you had no right, NO RIGHT to blame ME for it. You made me endure a style of training that encouraged such radical and savage behavior. You should have expected something like that to happen."

Asgeirr still did not reply.

"You are a worthless excuse for a man, Asgeirr," Hiccup spat out. "By the Gods, you couldn't even tell me that I would never beat The Wolf. You say that life is unfair, and I understand that, but when you told me that I would eventually pass I trusted you, and now that trust has been broken. I can no longer believe anything you say. I don't even know that I will ever see my dragon again. I can't believe anything you say about anything, because you could be lying once more. Today for once I want the truth. Am I going to have to fight The Wolf again?"

Asgeirr smiled savagely. "I make no promises, Riddari. You will go to Ragnarok and you will have to deal with whatever I have decided to make you face. I am the master of your training, Riddari, not you. You are nothing. Until you have passed my training, your thoughts mean nothing. Your desires are nothing. I really don't give a slimy yak-shit about you. Until I have deemed you worthy to ride in the name of Asgard, you will always be Useless."

Hiccup shook his fist at his trainer, clenching his teeth in rage.

"Do NOT call me that again," he snarled. "For I will kill you if you do! Blast it, Asgeirr, you sound like The Wolf! You are a disgrace. I no longer trust you. I will not listen to your so-called teachings and barbarous insults. I have no choice but to blot you out, Asgeirr. I will go and do my best to pass your demonic training because I can comfort myself with the thought that I must complete it some time. But I spit in your face. You are nothing but scum, Asgeirr."

He turned and walked to the door. Asgeirr stood utterly still for a full second, then snapped into action. He kicked the metal cup from the mess on the floor and caught it. As Hiccup opened the door, Asgeirr threw it at him, harder than he had ever done before.

Hiccup, without even looking, struck the cup to the floor. Without a word, he stalked angrily out into the hall, closing the door behind him with a bang.

Hiccup's mental state was indescribable, and he staggered clumsily down the hall. He had been soothed by Aiah's presence, and had originally felt strong and reinvigorated. However, Asgeirr had ruined it all. Hiccup had been riled once again, and this time he did not try to calm himself down. The aching sores from all his bruises were taxing him, further straining his patience. Stalking to the door of his training room, he made no attempt to banter with the guards as he usually did.

"Sorry, guys, no letters for you today," Hiccup growled. "I am really not in the mood for any jokes at all right now. I am just going to go in there and get killed by the damn Wolf. I know how to beat him now, but why should I even try to? I'm never going to ever be rid of him."

The guards did not answer, as always.

"Well, I hope you two weren't a pair of the men that kicked the crap out of me yesterday," Hiccup grinned. "If you were, though, I just want to let you know that you did a good job. I am sore all over. I literally feel like I am going to collapse at any moment. I didn't even eat anything this morning, either. That was a BAD idea. Oh man, I am going to have a long day."

The door clicked.

"Well, here goes," Hiccup growled, reaching for the knob. "Wolf, I'm coming for you, but I don't even know why."

With a quick jerk, Hiccup wrenched open the door and sprang in, immediately looking on the floor for a stone. He found one, pounced on it, and struck himself in the mouth, breaking his teeth and making them jagged and sharp once again. Spitting out thebroken pieces, he looked up with a growl, ready to face The Wolf in another hard-fought battle to the death.

But The Wolf was not there.

Hiccup stared in amazement, still poised on all fours, ready to strike. When it became clear that no attack was forthcoming, heslowly stood up and surveyed the new entity in the room. It was a large man. He wore a suit of brown leather armor, just like The Wolf, but in no other way was he similar. He was clean-shaven, and tall with flowing silver hair that fell behind pointy ears. The person was an elf.

As Hiccup continued to survey the stranger, he noticed more. Across the elf's back was strapped a silver sword of decent proportions. In one hand he held a white cloth and a small knife, and the other was twisting the buckler on his forearm, which was the same kind The Wolf had worn. It began to fix Hiccup's injuries. As the healing magic took effect, Hiccup's teeth, which he had only just destroyed, were mended.

"Welcome to Level 2 of Phase 1," the man smiled. "I am your new Master, and my name is Alaedlar. I am an elf from Alfheim, and am here to train you in the art of swordplay, in which I am the best. Here."

Alaedlar stepped forward and handed Hiccup the knife and cloth.

"Clean the blood off your face, Riddari," he commanded, "and trim your sharp fingernails. You shall need them no more. Fighting with a blade is much more civilized than tearing each other to bits."

Hiccup took the cloth, tears in his eyes.

"I passed Level 1?" he whispered. "I will not have to fight The Wolf again?"

"Never," Alaedlar smiled. "You have beaten The Wolf and learned to master your mind. The first part of your training is over, and I must say you did a marvelous job. The final step was to see if you would manage to recover your mind after being lied to and abused, and you have demonstrated that you can. It was a remarkable performance, Riddari. Previous trainees have taken months to beat The Wolf, and you managed to do it in a mere eight days. Congratulations."

Hiccup laughed and cried tears of joy as he wiped the fresh blood off his chin and lips. It was the last time he would ever have to smash his teeth. Tossing the cloth to the stone floor, he took the knife offered by Alaedlar and happily cut each of his fingernails back down to their normal size.

"Thank you, claws," Hiccup muttered as he cut. "You served me well. I almost hate to lose you."

After he had trimmed each one of his sharp nails, he handed the knife back to Alaedlar. The elf took it and placed it in a small sheath on his boot.

"Come with me, Riddari," he smiled. "The next Level of your training is about to begin, and it is drastically different than the first. I have a new suit of armor for you to wear while you are under my command. That worthless heap of rubbish you are wearing now will never suffice. Pah! You need a proper soldier's attire. You must have elvish gear."

Wrapping a strong arm around Hiccup's shoulders, he led Hiccup off to a door in the side of Ragnarok.

"Who are you, Master?" Hiccup laughed. "I have not been treated half decently since I came here. All that I have experienced is pain and betrayal, and yet here you are, handling me like I'm an old friend of yours."

Alaedlar laughed. His voice sounded even and clear, like pouring water slowly over smooth rocks.

"I am here to train you to fight with a sword," Alaedlar said. "I am not here to baby you or coddle you, but I am also not here to brutalize you, as The Wolf was. I shall be a hard trainer, but my goals are to make you the best swordfighter on Asgard, not to teach you to master your thoughts or to endure mind-boggling pain. I am an elf, and our systems of teaching are much less – violent than those of men. You are my student now, and while I am required to beat you and educate you, I can be friendly and kind in the process."

Reaching the side door, Alaedlar removed his arm from Hiccup and opened the massive stone entrance. Swinging the door open, Hiccup laughed in both awe and surprise.

Along the walls of the room were three suits of leather, sturdy armor. The first was a bleak brown suit with the Asgardian crest on the chest and shoulder buckles. The second was gold and blue, with a strange leaf crest. And the third was the one that caught his eye. It was sleek and black, with a red Asgardian crest. It looked menacing and efficient, and Hiccup could tell immediately that it was meant for him.

Alaedlar gestured at it.

"This suit of training armor is yours, Riddari," he said. "Take off the worthless rubbish you have on now and don that beautiful work of art. I have waited a long time to see it worn."

Hiccup grinned, and tore off his old black armor at once. With a laugh, he tossed it on the ground and kicked it away. Walking up to his new awesome suit, he immediately began to put it on. It was a similar make to that of his old one, but it was clear that the fresh one had beenconstructed by a better smith. It fitted like it was made for him. It left his biceps bare, but it covered his forearms, chest, shins, and legs. There was a helmet to go with it – a savage black magnificence with a dragon crawling over the top.

"Leave the helmet, Riddari," Alaedlar said. "We have no need for it at this point. Are you finished gearing up?"

"I am!" Hiccup laughed. "This new suit is fantastic."

"You aren't wearing it right," Alaedlar stated, surveying his posture. "When you were fighting The Wolf technicalities did not matter, but when you are fighting with a sword you must have every strap tightened and every buckle secure. Nothing is loose; it must all be fitting and comfortable."

He walked up to Hiccup and tightened all his buckles and straps on his arms and legs, making sure that each one was in its proper place.

"All right.Nowyou are ready. Make sure you always put your armor on properly in the future, Riddari. And now it is time to give you a sword."

Alaedlar walked over to the wall, where a rack with three swords hung. As was the same with the armor, they were all different colors. One had a brown stone in the hilt, the other had a blue gem, and the one on the top had a dark black jewel. Alaedlar took the black sword off the rack and held it respectfully and lovingly.

"This is your weapon for the next three years, Riddari," he stated. "And as such, let me tell you how to treat it. As a soldier, your sword is your life. Without a sword you are nothing. Without you the sword is nothing. Together you are one. You never leave your sword. From now on, as soon as I hand you this blade, it must never leave your person. Whenever you are undressing, whenever you are bathing, whenever you are in bed with a girl, and even when you are simply taking a piss, this sword ALWAYS goes with you. You shall sleep with this sword at night. You shall treat it like a Goddess. You can kiss it, hug it, and cuddle with it. It is a part of you. As such, it shall be named after you as well."

Alaedlar gestured at the other two swords on the rack. "These two blades were carried by the previous two trainees. They are named the Zia and the Kala, female renditions of the names of the soldiers that fought with them. Since your name is Hiccup, this sword is to be called the Hicca. Hicca shall go with you wherever you go, from now on. Hicca is your best friend. Hicca shall keep you safe. Hicca is your damned girlfriend from now on. You NEVER, EVER GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT HICCA. Even if Odin himself tells you to put Hicca down, you do NOT do it. Is that clear?"

"It is, Master." Hiccup replied. "I shall treasure the sword always."

Alaedlar held the handle out to him. "Draw your weapon, Riddari."

Hiccup reached slowly for the hilt of his new sword. Carefully, he closed his fingers around the handle. As he did so, he felt the smooth surface mold to fit the exact shape of his grip. Every crease on his palm matched perfectly with the handle of Hicca.

"Take up your weapon, Riddari," Alaedlar smiled. "And may the Gods guide your hand in battle."

With a grim smile, Hiccup took a deep breath and drew the sword with a ring. Its shiny silver blade glistened in the light of the room. It was a marvelous weapon. The blade began at a normal size, then thinned out slightly before it expanded again and peaked at a razor sharp pointon the tip.

Alaedlar was speaking. "Hicca is magically enchanted to match the exact fit of your hand. She will never dull, never wear out, and will always serve you well. Be worthy of the blade, Riddari, for it is a wonder."

Hiccup slid his finger down the edge of the blade, testing the sharpness as he had done a thousand times in Gobber's forge. It was sharper than any sword he had ever seen in his life.

"Hicca is a marvel," Hiccup said with wonder. "I shall treat her with the utmost respect and honor. She will never leave my side."

"Actually, Riddari, you shall carry Hicca on your back, not your side," Alaedlar stated. "Having the sword at your side is useful for combat and ceremonial riffraff, but when you are walking, running, and doing pushups, which you will be doing a LOT of in my training, it is much handier to carry it on your back. Here, this is how you attach the sheath to the armor on your back."

Alaedlar walked behind Hiccup and showed him how to strap Hicca's black sheath onto the buckles of the armor.

"There," he said solemnly. "Sheathe your sword, Riddari."

Hiccup carefully reached over his shoulder and slid Hicca back into her case. There was a smooth clickas the blade locked itself to the scabbard.

"Soon you shall learn to draw it and sheathe it in the blink of an eye," Alaedlar told him. "But the time is not now. We have one more thing to attend to."

"What would that be, Master?" Hiccup asked, excitedly.

"Your leg," Alaedlar said, pointing to Hiccup's metal prosthetic. "I can train anyone to become a master of the art of swordplay, but not if they are a cripple. You must have a better leg for me to be able to teach you properly, Riddari."

"You're giving me a new one!?" Hiccup laughed. "Ha ha! Finally! I hope it has blades on it!"

"Not exactly, Riddari," Alaedlar said, with a broad smile on his face. "We have something completely different in mind. Come with me."

Leading the way, Alaedlar left the room, Hiccup hurrying behind him.

"Where are we going?" Hiccup asked of his new trainer.

"Out of here," Alaedlar replied. "We are going to see someone who can give you the best leg you could possibly dream of. Now be silent and listen to me. From now on you are no longer a demon that seeks to kill and destroy a maddened man with a wolf's head. Beginningright now, you are a man who is trying to become a knight of Asgard, and as such you shall act accordingly, my good Riddari. We are about to leave this room and go into the public area of Asgard."

"We get to go out of here?!" Hiccup shouted, happy as a clam.

"Yes, we get to go out of here!" Alaedlar laughed. "And this time, you shall not go around traumatizing little children and horrifying women. You shall walk straight, keep your shoulders square, and look everyone in the eye. You are now the bearer of a sword of Asgard, and as such you are to act as if you are above every man, woman, and child you see in the hallways, unless you happen to look upon a God or Goddess, in which case you show them the respect they deserve. Since you are a rider and a soldier, you need to act like it. Be proud, strong, and tall. Look like someone who knows exactly what he is doing. And WHATEVER you do, do NOT strangleanybody,let alone a damn Goddess! My God, I am shocked that Odin did not have you at least flogged for that outrageous misconduct. If you do the same today, I will flog you myself."

Hiccup laughed. "I have no intention of strangling Aiah again today," he grinned. "I only did it yesterday because I was insane. Since I no longer have to face The Wolf, I am confident that it shall not happen again."

"It had better not," Alaedlar replied. They had reached the doors of Ragnarok and Alaedlar opened it.

Immediately the two guards snapped to attention and knocked their spears on the floor, shouting simultaneously, "Hail, Lord Alaedlar!"

Alaedlar saluted the two golden-clad men with a wave of his hand. "At ease, soldiers," he commanded, and the men relaxed once more as he passed. Hiccup snorted.

"I've been trying ever since I've been here to get those guards to talk to me," he said, shaking his head. "And yet, as soon as you pass, they speak without even being asked to. Humph. That's not exactly fair."

Alaedlar laughed, his rich voice echoing in the narrow hallway.

"They shall treat you with the same respect when you become the Captain of Asgard," he explained. "I am both a visitor and a Lord, and so they are required to salute me. Once you are their commander and a proper soldier, they shall treat you with the utmost respect as well. Now, however, you are less important to them than shit on the bottom of their boots."

"Thank you very much for boosting my pride, Master," Hiccup said sarcastically. "Seriously, couldn't you have used a better analogy than shit?"

Alaedlar shrugged, grinning. "It was the most accurate analogy I could come up with, Riddari. And now, you need to look sharp. We are about to leave your training rooms and walk among the common-folk of Asgard. Remember, your job is to NOT look common, for you are a soldier and a dragon rider."

Alaedlar paused by the door Hiccup had picked the previous day. With a twist of his wrist, he turned the knob and went through. Hiccup followed Alaedlar, remembering the advice his Master had given him. Together the two men walked into the same hall that Hiccup had entered the day before.

Once more Hiccup was the center of attention, but in a radically different way than his last appearance. Instead of being reviled and feared, he was gazed upon and admired.

"This is most likely the best thing about being a soldier," Alaedlar said. "The honor and respect you get from the people you defend. It is a marvelous feeling, is it not? Being looked upon with pride and not shame and embarrassment?"

"It is," Hiccup replied, walking shoulder to shoulder with the big elf. "I have been looked on with shame and embarrassment for almost all of my life. This is a most welcome change."

Alaedlar nodded.

"I have been informed of your past, Riddari. It was discouraging to listen to. All those years of being disgraced and humiliated must have been vastly unpleasant. However, those days are over now. You are soon to become greater than every man, woman, and child that walks the face of Midgard. Never again, if you pass this training, shall you be looked down on."

Alaedlar stopped in front of a door, and then turned to face Hiccup, placing a strong hand on Hiccup's shoulder.

"Listen to me, Riddari," he said. "We are about to go into this room and meet a Goddess. She is regal and powerful, and it is imperative that you donotoffend her. Treat her with the utmost respect, and don't say or do anything stupid, like you did last time you were here. Do you understand?"

"I do, Master," Hiccup replied, bowing his head. "But why are we seeing a Goddess?"

Alaedlar did not answer. He merely knocked loudly on the golden doors, and they opened from the inside as if by magic. Striding into the room, Hiccup stopped in awe.

Standing before him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She looked to be around twenty years old, and was dressed in a magnificent blue dress that matched the awe-striking color of her eyes. Long, flowing golden hair fell behind her back past her waist, which was so pure it looked like a waterfall of gold. Her beautiful features were made even more appealing by a kind smile that stretched across her smooth face.

"Riddari Hiccup," Alaedlar said, "You are standing in the presence of Eir, the Goddess of healing. She has a gift for you."

Hiccup could only stare in amazement at the sheer gloriousness of Eir's appearance, and made no attempt to speak. Instead, Eir did.

"Welcome, Riddari," she said, her voice sounding bright as sunshine and smooth as silk.

Hiccup did not reply. Instead, upon hearing her voice, he fell to one knee and bowed his head.

"It is an – an honor, Goddess Eir," Hiccup stuttered. "I have never seen anyone so beautiful as you."

Eir laughed, and it was the sweetest sound Hiccup had ever heard. It even outclassed Aiah's soothing voice.

"Rise, Hiccup," Eir smiled. "Rise, for I do not like to be bowed to. That was an order, not a request."

Hiccup slowly raised himself to his feet and looked up. Eir had walked closer to him and was now standing directly in front of him. She was so close Hiccup could smell her. She felt like a combination of wild honey and roses.

"Give me your hands," Eir commanded, looking down at Hiccup's bruised arms.

Hiccup said nothing, but unquestioningly did as he was asked. He raised his arms with his palms facing upward. Eir, with a comforting smile, reached out and laid her own palms on his.

Hiccup gasped as energy flowed through his sore body, instantly alleviating all the pain and sores from his welts. His strength was instantly reinvigorated, and he felt like a newborn man. Eir's hands seemed to glow as they transferred power to Hiccup's body. Hiccup's arms and hands changed from their mottled purple color to their usual texture.

Eir had her eyes closed, and winced in pain as she made contact with Hiccup. She closed her eyes tightly.

"You have endured GREAT amounts of pain, Riddari," whispered softly, her eyes still closed. "From the day of your birth you have always felt hurt of some kind. First you were weak and sickly, and had to undergo the torture of being bullied and reviled. Then you lost your leg, and you have endured that for over a year. Now, in the last week alone, you have experienced more pain than most people feel in a lifetime. I am greatly impressed, Riddari Hiccup."

"Thank you, Eir," Hiccup whispered in reply, warm energy still coursing through his body, refreshing him and renewing his old strength. "But why are you doing this for me? What are you here for?"

Eir opened her eyes and tightened her grip on Hiccup's hands.

"I am here to give you what you have desired for a year," she said, still quietly. "I am here to take away all your afflictions and make your physique perfect. I am here to heal your leg, Riddari Hiccup."

Hiccup's eyes widened, and for a second a sweet, desperate longing showed in his green eyes. Then it faded, and he bowed his head.

"I cannot," he whispered.

Eir gaped in astonishment. "What?" she asked, incredulously. "Never before has anyone asked that I NOT heal them. Why do say such a thing, Riddari?"

Hiccup released Eir's hands and stepped back. Beside him Alaedlar was staring in disbelief, and Eir was still standing in shock with her sweet, oval mouth wide open. Hiccup spoke.

"There is nothing I would desire more than to have my leg restored," he said. "But this injury -" he gestured to the metal prosthetic, "- represents a part of my life. This is one of the things that bonds me to my dragon, Toothless. We are both cripples, and that relationship holds us as one. I cannot let you heal me without granting the same mercy to my dragon. We are compatible. We are one and the same. I cannot be given a blessing that he is left without."

Eir relaxed and then laughed, her sweet voice echoing in the room.

"A true dragon rider you are, Hiccup Haddock," she smiled. "Not even willing to be healed for the sake of your love for your dragon. But allow me to tell you that Toothless has already been cured. I saw him on Alfheim several days ago, and there I re-grew his damaged tail. He made me promise afterwards that I would do the same to you, and I gave him my word. So you shall be healed, Riddari Hiccup. If you prefer to think of it this way, be it not of my will, but of your dragon's. There is no more need to be called a cripple. You must fight as a hero of all of Midgard, and such a hero must be able to perform at his best. So I insist, and so does Toothless,that you be given a new leg."

Hiccup was astounded.

"You healed Toothless?" he gasped, his voice cracking. "You saw him? Is he all right?"

"I did," Eir smiled. "He was most appreciative. He is now training on the kingdom of Alfheim with the best of the Elvish riders. He greatly desires to see you again, and he also wants you to be healed with him. So let me do this for you, Riddari."

Hiccup bowed his head in acceptance.

"Heal me, Eir. I have always wanted to be able to walk and run normally. Now that Toothless is healed, we can still be one. It is an honor and a blessing to be re-made. Please, heal me."

Eir smiled, her brilliant blue eyes sparkling.

"You greatly intrigue me, Riddari," she laughed. "And I shall heal your leg. Be still."

Hiccup stood tall and straight as Eir reached out with her hands. She closed her eyes and cradled Hiccup's head in her palms. Warmth and energy flowed from her, and she moved her lips, beginning to chant a spell.

Hiccup froze as soon as Eir touched him. Once again, energy flowed from her warm hands into his body, coursing through him like rivers of light. It was an indescribable feeling, giving him refreshment, life, and peace.

All was well until Eir began to chant, and then something abruptly went awry. He felt a presence enter his mind, beginning to mingle with his thoughts. It was a soothing, calm presence, but it was there nonetheless, and it reminded Hiccup too much of losing control of his being, as if he was in Ragnarok once more. He felt like he was losing himself, as he had felt so many times before.

With a shout, he wrenched his head away from Eir's hands, breaking her mind away from his. With a cry of alarm and rage, Hiccup drew Hicca from his back in the blink of an eye and pointed it frantically at Eir's neck.

"Get out of my head!" he roared, shaking in fear. "I think you mean well, but I will NOT have anyone entering my mind again! I have had more than enough of that in the last week! Goddess or not, IWILL kill you if you do that again!"

The beautiful Goddess took a slow step backwards, and there was a ring of steel as Alaedlar drew his own weapon. Hiccup gasped as the cold metal of Alaedlar's blade pressed against his own throat.

"Put the sword down, Riddari," he commanded.

"No," Hiccup snarled, looking at him with a desperate look of fear and anger. "Hicca ALWAYS stays with me. I shall not set her down if Odin tells me to, and I certainly shall not if you ask it." He breathed deeply and calmed himself. "But I shall sheathe it on the condition that NO ONE touches my mind again!"

Alaedlar reached out and grabbed the blade of Hicca and forcefully lowered it from Eir's neck.

"I warned you not to do anything stupid, Riddari," he growled, as it became clear that Hiccup was recovering. "And THAT certainly was. Do not EVER point a weapon at a Goddess. Next time she may decide to turn you into a toad." He lowered his own sword from Hiccup's neck. "Put Hicca back."

Hiccup was now fully returned to normal. With a final, trembling breath, he nodded and sheathed his sword, falling to one knee.

"Forgive me, Eir," he apologized. "I have had – bad experiences with people entering my mind. I am sorry, but even if you do mean to heal me, I cannot let you do that again. I will go mad."

Eir nodded slowly.

"I see. I should have thought of that. I give you my deepest apologies. Do stand, for I forgive you."

Hiccup rose to his feet and looked back up at Eir. Up close, Hiccup could tell that she about an inch shorter than he was.

Eir was twisting a braid of her golden hair thoughtfully.

"If I cannot enter your mind, then I must use a different method of healing," she stated. "Do you object to that, Riddari?"

Hiccup shook his head. "No. As long as you do not go into my head, you can heal me in whatever way you see fit."

Eir smiled. "So be it. I shall do it this way." Reaching forward, she took his head in her hands once again. Leaning in so close Hiccup could look deep into her eyes, she kissed him.

Right on the lips.

Hiccup was stunned. A Goddess, a sweet, beautiful Goddess, waskissinghim! His first instinct was to break away, but Eir held him firmly in her hands and pulled him into her, deepening the kiss. Her tongue danced against his, and he lost all sense of time of space. The sensation of her lips on his, her tongue on his was the greatest, most magnificent feeling he had ever had. Pure energy radiated from her lips, and, even as she kissed him, she chanted magical words into his mouth. Golden, soft light flowed from Hiccup's mouth, down to his chest, through his stomach, and then pooled in one spot at the stump of his severed leg. It began to throb eagerly and itch terribly in anticipation. Eir ceased her chant.

Then pain, searing, terrible pain shot through Hiccup. With a cry, he broke the magical kiss and fell on his back, yelling in agony. He writhed as his stump began to tremble and shake, nerves twitching and skin unfolding. Hiccup felt someone tear off his metal prosthetic, but he did not care. The only thing that remained to him was the terrible, terrible pain. It shot agonizingly through his leg, blotting out all else. Not even The Wolf had ever made him hurt so badly. He was brought back to the fateful day when he lost the limb. Once more he was struck by the tail of the Red Death and knocked off Toothless. Once more he was engulfed by hot flames, and once more Toothless opened his mouth and bit his leg, pulling him to the safety of his wings.

Then the pain abruptly ended, and all remnants of the agony faded into nothing. Gasping for air, Hiccup opened his eyes and looked down at his foot.

His prosthetic leg was gone, discarded on the floor. In its place was a smooth, new limb that had a real foot and real toes, which wiggled on command. Hiccup gasped in amazement and joy.

He had a new leg.


	18. good and evil

Chapter 18: Good and Evil

And here's a little name pronunciation:

Alaedlar - AL - LAID - LAR

Aiah - AAY - AH

Eir - AAY -EAR

Loki - LOW - KEY

High Asgard, Day 12 since Hiccup's Departure

"Yes! My leg is back! Oh Gods, this is amazing. My leg, its back, its back, its back! Oh YEESSS!"

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third was bouncing up and down on his new leg, hopping all around the room like a man possessed.

"It's healed!" he laughed, still dancing. "I am perfect now! I can feel everything, I have TOES! I can wiggle my toes! Yes! This is amazing! It's the best thing ever!"

Alaedlar went over, grabbed Hiccup by the shoulders, and shook him.

"For Thor's sake, Riddari, stop acting like a fool. Your leg is healed. We GET it. Now shut up and quiet down. You are still in the presence of a Goddess, and you need to act accordingly. Stop babbling around like a baby."

"Oh give me a break, Master!" Hiccup grinned. "Have you ever had a missing leg for a year and then got it back unexpectedly? I don't think so! I have a right to do this. I have a LOT to make up for with this new leg. It's awesome!" He pumped his arms in the air.

Alaedlar shook his head in disgust and turned back to Eir, who was smiling at Hiccup in great amusement.

"Forgive the boy, my good Eir," he said with a bow. "He is quite overwhelmed by the magnitude of your gift."

"Aw, stop with the dumb fancy words and silly sayings, Master!" Hiccup laughed. "Let me do it instead. Eir, this leg is amazing! I will never lose it again, I promise. Thank you! Ha ha ha!"

Eir, as Hiccup addressed her, shook her head in amusement. "You are a funny man, Riddari," she laughed. "You look like a rabbit, hopping around on one leg like that."

Hiccup grinned. "I need to break in this new leg," he laughed, hopping closer to the Goddess. Alaedlar was still shaking his head.

Eir frowned. "I see something on your face, Riddari," she said. "Come here."

Hiccup, wondering what her intention was, stopped hopping and walked over to the Goddess. His stride was finally normal, and his steps no longer had to be uneven. It caught him off guard, and he lost his balance, staggering forward. Eir grabbed his shoulders to steady him.

"Careful, Riddari!" she laughed as she caught him. "It will take a little time to get used to that leg."

Looking up, Hiccup found himself face to face with the beautiful woman once more, gazing deep into her azure eyes. Eir was frowning, and she moved her finger to touch his chin.

"This scar, Riddari," she commented. "It did not heal at first. That is odd." Brushing her finger over the old wound, Hiccup felt a slight tickling sensation as the wound vanished.

"Wow," he breathed, touching the spot where the mark had been. "Did everything get made perfect?" He looked down at his arms. "Do I now have larger muscles?"

Eir laughed, leaning on Hiccup's shoulders.

"No, Riddari Hiccup. I did not make you larger or stronger. I only perfected what was already there. Any slight injury or blemish on and in your physical body has been healed, but that is all. This action will make it easier to develop your muscles, but it did not increase their size. I'm sorry, but you'll still need to work hard to get strong."

She slid her hand down Hiccup's back and rested it softly on his bicep.

Hiccup grinned, his face still very close to Eir's. "I can handle that," he said. "With the training I'm going to get, I bet I'll be as strong as an elephant by the next time you see me. When will that be, anyway?"

"Soon, I hope," Eir smiled. "Work hard, and you shall complete this silly training of yours faster. Toothless is very impatient for you to finish."

"I always work hard," Hiccup stated. "And with this new leg, it will be so much easier. Thank you again."

There was a few seconds of awkward silence as Eir and Hiccup stared steadily at each other.

"Ahem," Alaedlar cleared his throat. "My apologies, my good Eir, but the Riddari needs to be introduced to his Level of training. Can you let me have him back?"

Eir's arms were still draped over Hiccup's shoulders. "Alaedlar," she said sweetly, without looking away from Hiccup, "you shall have him for the entirety of his training. Let me have him for a little longer."

Alaedlar made no sound, but simply turned and walked out, closing the door behind him.

Hiccup did not even notice. He was entranced by Eir. Her stunning face and glorious eyes were only six inches away from her, and he felt that he could never get tired of the way she looked at him.

"Your eyes speak of courage, Hiccup," Eir said, still gazing deeply into Hiccup's. "I see much fight in them. Much life and much power lurks within. They remind me of another being. I could swear you have a Godly descent."

Hiccup took care to note that she had addressed him by his real name. It was as if she was discarding the formalities.

"Thank you, Eir," Hiccup smiled. "But I'm no God. I'm the son of Stoick the Vast of the Berkian tribe. I'm just a skinny, pathetic loser that got dragged up here to become a hero."

Eir slapped him.

There was a sharp crack as her palm struck Hiccup's cheek. The smack was playful, but hard.

"Don'tevercall yourself a loser, Hiccup," she said emphatically. "It does not become a knight of Asgard. You must think only of how you intend to change. Don't say that again."

Hiccup pretended to rub his cheek in pain. "Ow, Eir," he whined. "You hit me. I just got slapped by a Goddess. Oh, boy, I'm going to have fun telling that story when I get home."

Eir laughed. "You would tell your friends of getting slapped by a Goddess rather than being kissed by one?"

Hiccup grinned. "Well, the kiss went without saying."

Eir smiled up at him once more. "I think you shall make a great Captain of Asgard," she stated. "And your humor is enjoyable. The last trainee, now Lord Kaldr, was utterly emotionless, and the other, Lord Zyon, was utterly heartless. But you – you have the spirit of a God." She laid a smooth hand over his chest and then smiled again. "You're also a pretty good kisser."

Hiccup reddened, a corner of his lip going up.

"You're not that bad yourself," he grinned. "Of course, the magic helped, but still."

Eir laughed. "Well, I shall have to let you go, Hiccup. I hope to see you again."

"I do too," Hiccup smiled. "And thanks again for the leg. As soon as I learn to walk again, I will start to make some really good progress." His smile faded. "I wish I had this when I was fighting The Wolf."

Eir's smile faded as well. "Do not think of that, Hiccup," she admonished, wrapping her arms around him and hugging Hiccup tightly. "I know what The Wolf does to people, but he is now gone. You had to overcome him, but he is no longer there to torment you. Lose him."

"I'll never lose him," Hiccup whispered into her golden hair. "The Wolf was correct yesterday, what he told me. I never win. I'll never truly beat him. All he was was a living personification of fear, hatred, anger, pain, and death. That will remain with me forever. He has hallowed my mind. I know now what he meant that day in Ragnarok. He's right. He won, and I'll never beat the black hole in my mind that contains all that savagery. I still have it, and it won't go away."

"Do not speak of that!"Eir cried into his shoulder. "Just try to blot it out. Think of the good things. Think of your new leg."

Hiccup laughed, still holding Eir. "All right, fine. I'll tell you about the leg. This leg is awesome! It has no flaws, no scars, and no bad stuff. It is just there! I have a new limb! Thank you!"

Lifting Eir, he spun her around.

"Whoa, Hiccup!" Eir laughed, as Hiccup swung her through the air in a full circle. "Put me down!"

With a goofy grin, Hiccup set her back down on the floor and let her go. He felt much stronger, as he had been able to lift her effortlessly.

"No really, thank you," he said, gesturing to his leg. "Nothing could be better than this."

"I hope it serves you well," Eir smiled, brushing her hair out of her eyes, where it had billowed when Hiccup swung her.

"I think I'm already used to it," Hiccup commented. "And I really should go and see Alaedlar. He's nice, but I just know he's going to yell at me for staying in here too long."

"That he will," Eir laughed. "Let us both go. I need to leave also."

She stuck her arm through Hiccup's and helped him walk towards the door.

"Ha," Eir laughed. "It looks like you do have it down already."

"Well, I guess it's only been a year," Hiccup mused. "It'll come back in full here soon, I think."

"I know it will," Eir replied. The pair reached the door that Hiccup had entered from, and two guards opened it for them. Alaedlar was standing outside. As he heard the door open, he turned around and faced Hiccup and Eir. He bowed to the Goddess.

"My deepest gratitude for the gift you have given the Riddari," he said formally. "I trust that he shall bear it well."

"No dumb formalities, Master," Hiccup grumbled. "Honestly, it makes you sound stupid and mentally handicapped."

He released Eir's arm, and the Goddess turned and smiled at him.

"I hope to see you soon, Hiccup," she said. "But I must go now. We will meet again." With a final beautiful smile, she turned and walked off down the hall, her golden hair swaying in the light.

Alaedlar was standing with his arms crossed, watching her disappear in the hall.

"Hiccup, huh?" he asked, shaking his head. "I didn't know you were on such - good terms with Eir."

"Hey, she likes me," Hiccup grinned. "Are you jealous, Master?"

Alaedlar shook his head. "Of course not, veryyoungRiddari. She is a Goddess. She is far above any of our understanding. There's not a chance she'd ever stoop so low as to fall in love with a mortal. I wouldn't eventhinkabout it, Riddari."

Hiccup laughed. "She thought I was God-born, Master. Can you believe that? Maybe I do have a speck of real power in me." He flexed his bicep.

Alaedlar shook his head in amusement and then gestured down the hall.

"This way, Riddari," he instructed. "Ordinarily we would do swordplay at this hour, but this whole healing operation took too much time. So we will skip swordplay and go right to the next step of today's training. First, let me explain how Level 2 operates.

"From now on you no longer have one sole task to complete, as you did with The Wolf. This Level, and all Levels after it, shall be based on a number of different training subjects. You will have an hour assigned each day for twelve different topics. Swordplay, Archery, Hand to hand combat, and battle tactics are a few. You will exercise these topics until you have passed a certain area of understanding. When you complete all the topics, you then move to Level 3, and so on. Is that clear?"

"Umm, not really," Hiccup said. "Go slower. That's too complex for me."

Alaedlar sighed. "Eir's cuddling has messed up your thoughts," he grumbled. "But here's a simpler explanation. The harder you work, the faster you pass. This goes for EVERYTHING you will be trained on. OK? Is that clear? From now on that is the code that you live by. Repeat it back to me."

"The harder you work, the faster you pass," Hiccup answered.

"Good," Alaedlar commented. "Remember that code, Riddari. It is what you will live by for the next few years."

"All right. So where are we going, Alaedlar?"

Hiccup's Master grinned.

"To the dungeons, Riddari."

Berk, Day 12 since Hiccup's Departure

"Riders of Berk! To where do you go?!"

"To Death and Glory!" the teens roared.

"To where do you go!?"

"TO DEATH AND GLORY!"

Astrid finished the war cry, her teeth bared in a savage snarl. It had been a long time since the Viking War Cry was last heard in the archipelago. With the cheers of the crowd behind them, Astrid, Snotlout, Heather, Fishlegs, and the Twins took off into the twilight, their black-painted dragons making dark shadows over the red sunset.

"To war!" Snotlout grinned, spurring Hookfang on. "I never guessed that I would be leading the first attack since peace with the dragons! And I am now the heir to Berk, no less! Ha HA! Snotlout, Snotlout, Ough, Ough, Ough!" He pounded his chest.

"Let's not get this started," snapped Heather. "Snotlout shut up. No one wants to hear your worthless bragging."

"But I'm not bragging, babe!" Snotlout grinned. "I was only STATING facts. I AM leading the attack, am I not? And I am ALSO the HEIR TO BERK! That useless Hiccup died, and now I am the Dragon Master."

Astrid whirled on Snotlout.

"Hiccup was better than you could EVER be!" she shouted. "Hiccup was the real hero! Hiccup saved us while you sat on your ass and did NOTHING! Don't even try to compare yourself to Hiccup. Hiccup was the best, he was the only one who was worthy to become chief!"

"Oh, I know you're upset, babe," Snotlout grinned, from his seat on Hookfang. "Your precious boyfriend died, and you're just a little messed up right now. You'll get over it and see that I, Snotlout Jorgenson, am now the REAL man. And guess what, babe?"

Snotlout grinned.

"Now that I am the heir to Berk, it will be REALLY hard for your parents to turn down my marriage offers."

Astrid gasped. "WHAT!?" she screamed.

"That's right, babe," Snotlout grinned. "I've been trying for a year now to make an offer to your parents. But they refused on the grounds that Hiccup was after you." He patted his chest. "But now they will run out of excuses, babe. You will be mine."

Astrid was gawking in horror. "You made offers to my PARENTS!?" she yelled.

"That's right, babe," Snotlout grinned again. "My dad has been at it for a year now, without much luck, thanks to Hiccup. But when we get back from this raid, and prove that Hiccup is dead, he'll be able to come down a lot harder on your parents, especially now that I'm the heir. Good luck for you, really. You'll be marrying the best man in the archipelago."

Astrid yelled in rage and grabbed her axe.

"Astrid, NO!" Heather shouted, and flew her dragon alongside Astrid's. "We can't be fighting among ourselves right now!" She reached off Spike and grabbed Astrid's axe. "And, Snotlout, SHUT UP! Astrid does not want to hear you right now!" Heather looked over to her friend. Astrid was horrified, both with fear and rage.

"Let's fly ahead of the group for a little bit so that we can talk," Heather suggested, releasing her grip on the axe. "And get away from Snotlout. I need to explain stuff to you."

Together the two Nadders, daubed in black pain, pulled away from the group and moved ahead. Astrid was breathing hard.

"How DARE he!" she shouted. "Snotlout is trying to marry me as soon as Hiccup is gone."

"Astrid," Heather warned.

"He can't just do that!" Astrid shouted, clenching her fists. "My parents will NEVER accept any offer his family makes!"

"Astrid," Heather said, "listen to me. I'm afraid you don't exactly know how much power the heir to a tribe has."

Astrid looked at Heather. "What?" she asked.

"There's not a whole lot your family can do about it," Heather said. "For once Snotlout is right. Your parents will have a HARD time refusing the offer. The heir has unlimited amounts of money and a reputation among the people. There are thousands of ways that Snotlout will make life harder on your family if you don't accept. Besides, it's expected of you. You are one of the few eligible maidens on Berk. Who else can the heir marry from his own tribe, except for Ruffnut?" Heather paused to make her point.

"Now, I'm not saying you HAVE to accept him. But I would talk to your parents, because it will become very hard for them to refuse Spitelout's offers soon."

Astrid took a deep breath. "I can't believe they didn't tell me that Snotlout's stupid father was making offers."

Heather shrugged. "There's thousands of reasons they could have, but I'm guessing the main one was that they never expected anything to come of it."

Astrid nodded slowly. "This isn't good, Heather," she snapped angrily. "Life is NOT on my side right now. First Hiccup died, I nearly get killed by strange Skrill riders, and now SNOTLOUT is making offers of MARRIAGE. I can NEVER marry him, not in a million years! So what can I do, Heather?"

Heather grimaced. "I don't know, As. I would talk with your parents after this raid and see what your options are. Boy, you have a LOT of problems right now. The whole Hiccup thing, the marriage, and also, the visions. You REALLY need to talk with someone about those."

Astrid sighed, burying her head on the saddle in front of her.

"I need to find out if Hiccup is really dead first," she whispered. "After this raid, I'll know for sure. Maybe there's a little hope. Maybe he's alive, and in a dungeon right now."

Low Asgard, Day 12 since Hiccup's Departure

"OK, wait a minute, Master!" Hiccup said, running after his trainer. "Why are we going to the dungeons? Don't tell me that a part of my training will be to lock me up and see if I can get out or something like that!"

Alaedlar smiled. "No. That's later."

"Wait, what?!" Hiccup shouted.

Alaedlar turned to face Hiccup, placing his hands on Hiccup's shoulders.

"Listen to me, Riddari. Asgeirr is in charge of your training. I am only here to teach you combat. Other men and Gods are charged with teaching you other things. I am taking you to the dungeons of Asgard because the smartest and wiliest man on all the worlds of Yggdrasil is imprisoned here, and he will be teaching you how to use your head." He released Hiccup and started to walk again.

"All right, hold on a minute!" Hiccup said, following Alaedlar. "We are on the lowest level of the Asgardian dungeons. The only time I was here was when I went to talk to Toothless. These cells are designed to keep out the strongest and most powerful creatures EVER, and you're putting me into a prison with one?"

"That is correct, Riddari," Alaedlar replied calmly.

"Are you mad!?" Hiccup shouted. "Who is this person I am training with? If he is such a bad and dangerous person, isn't my life in jeopardy as soon as I am put in there with him?"

Alaedlar stopped by a door. Hiccup followed suit, still looking inquiringly at his trainer.

"Go in, Riddari," Alaedlar said, gesturing to the door. "It is unlocked. Trust me; you will be quite safe in there. Besides, you still have Hicca. If you're in danger, use your damn sword."

Hiccup shook his head. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered, and then stepped through the entrance.

Hiccup had been in a cell like this before. His first day on Asgard, he had been brought down to the dungeons by Aiah to consult with Toothless. The cell he was in now was exactly the same. The walls were all solid rock except for a massive sheet of energy that made a giant window. However, Hiccup did not stop to look at these things. He was focused on one thing only.

The man in the middle.

The man was like no other person Hiccup had ever seen before. Sitting calmly in a chair, he wore shining golden cuffs around his ankles and wrists that swam with energy. He was dressed in a golden breastplate and green sleeves and leggings. He had a lean, angular face that was slightly freckled. Long, straight black hair flowed over his shoulders and partway down his back. But what shocked Hiccup the most was the man's eyes.

They looked exactly like his own.

The man gestured to another chair, which was opposite him.

"Sit, Hiccup," he said. His voice was calm, soothing, and soft, and yet there was a hint of menace. Hiccup did as the man asked. He walked over to the other golden chair and sat slowly, Hicca making a soft clang as it struck the metal of the chair.

Hiccup could not find his voice. The man looked SO alike him. The only difference was the hair color and length. Other than that, Hiccup could see no distinguishable difference. The man was so alike him that he was unnerved. He was so stunned that he lost his tongue, and simply sat across from the man, unmoving.

The man was staring deep into Hiccup's eyes, and Hiccup blinked. The man smiled, and then spoke.

"You falter when I gaze at you. Why is that, may I ask?"

Hiccup was surprised by the question. He had expected introductions to come first. However, he licked his lips and answered truthfully.

"Honestly, I don't like getting stared at like that. It makes me feel like I'm a – a bug on the end of a stick that you're studying. I just don't like it."

"Ahh," the man said. "Very intriguing. You say you do not like people staring at you, for it makes you feel uncomfortable. But what if you cannot see them looking at you like that? Does it make you feel the same way?"

Hiccup frowned. "No."

"So why, then, did my stare in particular cause you to be unnerved?"

Hiccup paused, frowning in thought.

"Because you looked in my eyes."

"Ahaaaaa!" the man smiled. "You understand already. No one likes to be looked at in the eyes for a long time, especially by a stranger. They find it repulsive, just as you did. But why, pray, is that so?"

Hiccup was silent for a little bit as he thought of a reason.

"I don't know," he said. "It's just that sometimes – no, forget it, that's dumb."

"No!" the man said, leaning forward. "What is dumb? Tell me what you thought, Hiccup. I don't care how stupid it sounds. Stupidity is relative. If you were to make whatever comment you just thought of back on your homeland, among thick-headed Vikings, they would most likely laugh and call it stupid. As such, it has been branded in your own head as 'dumb.' But here, among the Gods, things are different. For instance, you were taken from Midgard by the BiFrost. To the human eye, it looks like a cyclone appears from nowhere and takes you. Is that not dumb?" The man smiled. "See what I mean? Stupidity is only determined based on the stupid ideals of stupid people. So tell me; what did you think?"

"Well, I kind of think that staring into one's eyes is like staring into one's soul," Hiccup explained, getting red in the face. "That's silly, isn't it? I mean -"

The man raised his hand, leaning back in his seat. "Most impressive," he smiled. "You have the mind of a genius, Hiccup. No one has ever given me a better answer. Congratulations."

Hiccup grinned, confusedly. "Okay," he said.

The man's smile faded, and he leaned forward once more. "You were VERY close, Hiccup. In fact, you were EXACTLY correct. The eyes are a strange thing. They can tell a man everything. You said it perfectly; the eyes are like a portal to the soul. Your eyes see me, and through your eyes I can see you. The eyes are everything. The eyes are what define us."

The man extended his hand, a band of energy on his wrist. "I once more congratulate you on your phenomenal answer to the question, Hiccup. Welcome to my training."

Hiccup grasped the man's hand and shook it. "I am here to learn," Hiccup said, releasing the man. "But I do not know your name. Alaedlar said that you are a dangerous criminal, and for that reason you are kept in the lowest dungeons. But who could be considered THAT powerful? I mean, why are you in the lowest level of the prison? Who are you?"

The man smiled softly. "You have heard of me, Hiccup. Oh, yes, you have heard of me. I wander here and there, your Viking tales say, as a demon in a black robe. I see and hear all. I am the cause of all mischief and trouble everywhere. I am the cause of the cows not giving milk and the chicken not laying eggs. I am the instigator of wars, plagues, and torments. I lurk in dark places, waiting to strike. I am the serpent, the snake, the cunning fox. I am the master of tongues, and the Father of Lies."

Hiccup leapt to his feet.

"You're no man," he whispered. "You are a God, a terrible God. You are he who walks unseen. You are Loki, son of Odin, oath-breaker, defiler, Father of Lies!"

The man smiled. "You know me well."

Hiccup's shock turned to anger.

"The stories!" he shouted. "The tales that us Vikings tell of you, are they true!? Do you cause all pain and affliction? Are you the source of disease and plagues on Midgard?!"

Loki smiled. "Yes, I was. For a time, at least."

Hiccup drew Hicca with a ring and pointed it at Loki's head. As soon as he did so, tendrils of energy fell from the ceiling, grabbing his arm and freezing it in place. Hiccup tried to move his arm, but couldn't. The energy bonds were too strong. Moving against his will, they pushed his arm back and sheathed the sword for him. Then Hiccup was released, and the energy tendrils vanished.

Loki smiled. "My dear father monitors this cell, Hiccup," he said. "No weapons can be used in here, or any violence, or it is instantly stopped by the magic. Odin is careful to be sure that I am unharmed."

Hiccup sat down, still boiling in anger. "My grandparents were taken by disease," he whispered. "You killed them, didn't you?"

Loki shrugged. "Perhaps."

Hiccup clenched his teeth in hate. His new source of boiling rage threatened to break loose once more, but he took three deep breaths and calmed himself.

"Why did Odin allow me to come here?" he asked angrily. "You are deadly. You are a menace. You could kill me, and I am the only hope for Midgard. Why would he dare and send me to sit across from a – a thing like you?!"

Loki laughed. "I think you greatly misunderstand my Father's regard for you," he chuckled. "Odin doesn't care about you any more than a rotten egg. He is only training you because he has a responsibility to Midgard. He doesn't care about you or your safety at all. Get that straight."

Hiccup bit his lip. "So why am I here? Alaedlar said you would teach me. Do you think I will allow myself to be trained by a demon like you? I won't stand for it."

Loki grinned. "You are wise, Hiccup," he smiled. "But, I think you will come to see that I am not as vile as you think. For instance, my dear Father could care less whether you live or die, whereas I would be saddened to see your talents spoiled. Odin sees nothing but a failure when he looks at you, but I only see untapped potential."

"Now those are the twisted words of a snake," Hiccup snarled.

Loki sighed. "I see that this shall be difficult to explain, Hiccup. But let me try to show you what I feel. I told you a few minutes ago that the eyes are fate itself. You know this. The eyes tell everything about a man. They NEVER lie. As the master of deceit and cunning, it has greatly disappointed me that the eyes cannot be beaten. One can never lie with the eyes. It is simply impossible. You know this. That is why you did not like me staring at you through them. Do you believe that, and that my statement is not twisted and false?"

Hiccup nodded slowly. "I can believe that. I mean, it makes sense. But I still doubt your forked tongue."

Loki smiled. "All right, Hiccup, let us see how long you can endure being picked like a bone. Keep your eyes open and look at me, and I shall look into your soul. Then you can tell for yourself that the eyes never lie."

Hiccup nodded. "All right."

"Then don't blink." Loki leaned forward, his green eyes meeting Hiccup's and locking there. Green eyes stared into green eyes, and for two full minutes Hiccup allowed himself to be studied by the father of lies. He blinked often, but Loki kept his gaze steady and unfaltering. After two minutes the God finally blinked, and leaned back in his chair.

"Well?" Hiccup asked. "What did you see?"

Loki stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"I see a skinny lad with a strong heart. I see power and threat, but veiled, caged, kept away from the world. I see years of pain and suffering. I see determination in the crucial moment. I see an unwavering love for a girl. I see a devotion to a tribe, a family, which you would give your life to save. I see an undying bond between a dragon and boy. I see a young boy with determination, who wants to do what he can to help all. But I also see a desperate longing, a want for a quiet, soft, happy life, with children climbing over your knees. There lingers in your heart a wish for peace. I shall describe what I make of you in three words. Determination, Resilience, and Peace."

Hiccup was shaking. "How do you know that?!" he whispered. "Aiah never could have seen that. I don't -" he froze. "The eyes," he said softly.

"The eyes NEVER lie," Loki explained. "Through them I can see all. I would suggest you never again let anyone do what I just did. But regardless, my point with all this is that you need to trust me during this training. You must be confident that I am being truthful. So, with that in mind, I need to look into my eyes. Tell me what you see."

Hiccup, intrigued, leaned forward to stare at Loki's green eyes. For five long minutes he stared, trying to sift through what he thought he saw in the depths of the God's being. When he finished, he leaned back and closed his eyes.

"I see a man," Hiccup said. "I see a God also, but there is the same soul, heart, and feelings as myself. You have the same thoughts and desires as any normal person. But you have a savage personality. You have been bullied, reviled, spat on. You have tried hard to do the right thing, but you failed. You hate everything. You hate all that walks the planet. It is – resentment that you possess. But I do not see an evil man. I see someone who only ever wanted to do the right thing. And yet, there is a hint of despair and hopelessness. I will do the same as you, and try to define you in three words. You are Cruel, Resentful, and yet - Confused."

Loki's lips tightened. "I would not say I am confused, Hiccup. You say that because you know what I have done, and yet saw a good man in my eyes. I am not confused; I merely do what I do because I hate all."

"No one can be as cruel as you and still be sane," Hiccup argued. "So you must be hopelessly lost and confused. That is the only logical explanation."

Loki frowned. "Look, Hiccup, you do not see things from my point of view. I am a God."

Loki let that statement hang for a few seconds before continuing.

"As a God, I do not see things from your petty viewpoints. You are angry that I may have caused the death of your grandparents, but should the ants be angry that you have crushed them under their boots?"

Hiccup glared.

"That is correct, Hiccup," Loki said seriously. "As Gods, we tread on mortals like bugs. They are weak. They are below us, so far down that they cannot even be considered worth caring for. Ants and beetles mean more to you than humans mean to the Gods. So why should we even bother preserving you at all?"

"Because even the ants and beetles have a purpose," Hiccup replied. "The ants and beetles clear away dung and do other simple tasks. They do things, but things so small that they go unnoticed until they are gone, and only then do you realize how great their deeds truly were."

"Bah!" Loki spat. "You speak of humans as if they are useful, as if they are perfect. Ants and beetles are perfect. They have no souls, no minds, and no thoughts. They only do. Mortals, they think. Imagine if the ants shouted at you and berated you for stepping on them? You would laugh, for they are so small and insignificant that it would have no effect on your bearing."

"That is not true," Hiccup argued. "If the ants and beetles had thoughts and souls of their own, then I could never step on one again. That was why I could never kill Toothless. I saw a mind. I didn't see a demon or a vile creature that I had been taught dragons were. I saw LIFE."

"Life!" Loki said, his face contorted. "Life is nothing! Life ENDS. Only the Gods last! We are immortal, and a blink of our eyes is like a lifespan of a man! We care nothing of the death of the mortals. They mean naught to us."

"Then the Gods are no true Gods," Hiccup stated. "Gods should be good, kind, and understanding. A chief protects his own. As a God, everyone must be their own. Odin, although he is a mean, grumpy old man, DOES care about Midgard. After all, he is taking the effort to train me so I can preserve it. Do not compare your twisted ideals with those of better men, Loki."

Loki trembled in rage. "Do not think you know of Odin, Hiccup!" he roared. "My father was no true father! I am evil because I was bred to be evil – by him. I was brought up in the finest houses, with the best servants, and the prettiest maidens. I had a blessed childhood. I was a God. My talents were those of the mind. I was the best mathematician, tactician, and strategist that the Nine Realms had ever seen! I was the most valuable asset to any army. With my strategies and plans, no fight could go wrong. I was the BEST."

Loki paused, his hands clenched. "Everyone with intelligence should have seen it. They should have seen that I was the real hero. But when I grew up, I grew up in the shadow of my older brother Thor. Thor. Curse Thor! Everyone loved Thor. He was tall, muscular, proud, and good with the ladies. He made friends and alliances while I had my nose in books. As such, he was the hero of Asgard, and not myself."

Loki paused once more.

"But then war came. Terrible war, which threatened to bring Asgard to her knees. I knew it was my chance to display my marvelous techniques and stratagems, and I thought that I might, just might, have a chance to win some pride, some glory, and the respect of my father, Odin."

Loki spat. "I could not have been more wrong. To be sure, I was allowed to monitor the battles. My brilliant military tactics saved the kingdom countless times. I was the redeemer. But who was always leading the charges and encouraging the men? Not I. It was Thor. Thor won ALL the glory. All he did was walk into battle swinging a hammer, and he received all the credit and admiration. He was the typical hero. I was not the typical hero, but I won it all, not him. I was the God who could dominate all, and I only wanted my father to see it. I wanted him to be proud of me. But the AllFather only loved the strong.

"Thor got all the praise. He got the love from my father, not me. I was ignored. I was nothing. I was merely a tool. No one saw me for what I was. So I despaired. I grew angry. I never could earn my Father's love, no matter how hard I tried, and no matter what I did."

Loki stopped.

"So I turned on him. I broke my sacred oaths that I had given which bound me to the kingdom of Asgard. I reinstated the rebellion that I had just crushed. I brought to my side the Captain of Asgard, Lord Zyon. Together we laid waste to the forces of Asgard. With Zyon and his dragon leading the charges, and me directing them, we could only ever achieve victory. It was near. One more battle and Asgard would have been mine. But fate was against me. Yggdrasil, the tree of life, shook its branches and caused an earthquake that annihilated my army. Thor then struck, and I was captured. Lord Zyon, the best soldier that I ever had, fled to Niflheim and vanished. It was his fate. He was born halfway in Helheim and halfway out, and Helheim is his destiny. As for me, I have been here ever since, answering for my crimes, for I did not only bring death to the Asgardians, but I also laid waste to Midgard in the form of diseases and plagues. My wrath was absolute."

Hiccup shook his head. "I understand your loss," he said. "It is hard to be scorned and treated badly, especially by your own father. But you should not have caused the deaths of innocents because of it. That was where your quest for revenge went awry."

Loki's lip curled. "Innocents? I caused the death of those whodeservedit. I am only called the father of lies because my own father made stories of my treachery and spread them into the tales all over Midgard. He changed your Viking history to encompass all my deceit and traitorous actions. I was now hated by all of Midgard, too. So I killed them."

"Why the people of Midgard?!" Hiccup snapped angrily. "They knew nothing of what really happened! What of my grandparents that fell due to your hatred for your father? They did know that the tales were false. I did not. We don't truly hate you, only the story's portrayal of you. You know that. So why did you do it, really?"

"I had to do it to show my true supremacy!" Loki shouted. "It was the only way to ever impress Odin, strength and strength alone. He only understands raw power. You know that! He saw nothing in you when you first arrived here, didn't he?! He acted like an ass, did he not, when he saw that you were scrawny and weak, and not the picture of a standard champion?"

"Well," Hiccup admitted, "he was kind of mean."

"How do you earn the love of a man like that?" Loki demanded. "How can you gain the respect of a man that simply does not understand that there is more to heroism than strength alone? I did what I thought would gain me admiration. I attacked Midgard. I crushed a few ants and beetles."

"They were not just ants and beetles," Hiccup corrected angrily. "They were living. Their minds and souls were their own, just as mine are. You had NO right to kill them, despite how insignificant they seemed."

"I care not!" Loki replied. "Would you have cared? Did you care? When you shot down your dragon, you had one goal in mind. To impress your father and earn his love. You cared not for the dragon. You could have let the knife fall. You were there, you had honor in your palm. We are similar, me and you, but the difference is that I would have killed the dragon, just as I killed your so-called innocents. But imagine this scenario."

Loki paused. "What if you had struck? What if you had let the knife fall on the Night Fury? Imagine you cut out his heart and took it to your father, with joy in your heart, like a true Viking. Imagine that. Now think of this. What if you gave him the heart, but he took it from you, turned his back, and gave it to your cousin, Snotlout, claiming that he had killed the dragon instead of you. Snotlout got all the glory, and Astrid married him on the spot. What would you have felt like?"

Hiccup sat rigid in his chair as he considered the gross unfairness of that situation.

"I would have been utterly confused and hurt," he said quietly. "I never could have forgiven him."

Loki nodded. "That is precisely what I felt like when my father did not appreciate what I had done. He took my glory, my victory, and gave it to Thor. I was angry, and rightly so. I acted not out of cruelty, but vengeance!"

"Vengeance may have been justified, but there was no need to kill helpless, innocent people!" Hiccup shouted. "That is your shortcoming. You have no regard for life."

"Life means so much to you humans, doesn't it?" Loki sighed. "But it means so little to me. I am immortal, and life has no bearing, no meaning to me. I have no regrets for my deeds."

Hiccup shook his head. "Then you cannot understand the gift of true leadership, Loki. You are meant to be down here. You are twisted and vile."

Loki passed a hand over his face. "I disagree, Hiccup. But regardless of our argument, you now understand me. You know that I shall not lie to you. I am here to teach you. I am here to teach you to use your tongue like mine. All commanders must be competent and sly, cunning and smart. I shall teach you to lie properly. I shall teach you to give commands with authority. Your tone, your diction, and your attitude will have to be perfected. That is what I will teach. I will teach you the ways of the mind."

Hiccup nodded. "I know you can teach me that honestly. You are a good man, but still twisted and confused. But I do need to learn tactics and the art of cunning speech if I am to get Toothless back as fast as possible."

He squared his shoulders. "So teach me, Father of Lies."


	19. the training begins

Chapter 19: The Training Begins

North Seas, 150 Nautical miles from Berk, Day 12 since Hiccup's Departure

Eret son of Eret leaned on the edge of his ship and spat into the sea. The spit tasted like a mixture of mead and hardtack, and signaled what he felt like at the moment. He had not captured any dragons for his master, and if he returned empty-handed, he would be executed. Hence, the mead, which was his attempt to forget this problem by getting drunk, and the hardtack, which was what he and his crew had been reduced to eating in their fruitless efforts to capture dragons.

Eret son of Eret was not an evil man. He told himself this constantly, even though he worked for the cruelest man in the archipelago, Drago Bludvist. Eret's parents had died when he was young, and he only knew that his father's name was Eret. As a remembrance of his family, he used 'son of Eret' as his title. Useless as a boy, he had been sold as a slave by his tribe, and from there managed to become a gladiator in the distant city of Rome. He could barely fight, but he managed to kill the Emperor's champion by luck in his first fight. The Emperor was enraged, and banished Eret. From there Eret took to the seas, meeting up with Germanic outcasts. They became a team and trapped dragons for food. He was still in the business when Drago Bludvist had come to him with an offer – Dragons for money. Leaping at the chance, Eret had accepted.

And now he wished he hadn't. Things were vastly unpleasant under Drago's terrible rule. Either they provided dragons or Drago would kill them. It was an unfortunate position.

"Eret," his mate said.

"Yeah," Eret groaned, getting up from his position, taking his gaze away from the foamy, cold sea.

"Eret, we haven't been able to get any dragons. I mean, we just haven't seen any. Where are they all going?"

Eret frowned. It was something he didn't know himself.

"I don't know," he replied. "But I think it's that beast of a dragon that Lord Drago has in captivity. It seems to be able to control all the smaller dragons, and it draws everything near it to itself. So there are no dragons close to us anymore. At least, that's what I think."

"I agree, Eret," the man replied.

Eret laughed, whirling on him. "You agree!" he shouted angrily. He was in a terrible mood. "Of course you agree! You're too stupid to do anything else! I should have gotten a better crew!"

"DRAGON!" the crew shouted.

"What!" Eret shouted, leaping to the bola launchers. "Where!?"

"East, sir!"

Eret swung his bola launcher to the East and stared down the sight at the approaching dragon.

"By Thor," he whispered. "That dragon is huge."

The crew was bustling about, getting their equipment ready. Eret whirled around.

"Listen up, boys!" he shouted. "If we get this dragon, we get to go back! It's big enough to be a real prize!"

The crew cheered. Eret spun back to the bola launcher and stared at the dragon once more.

"Wait, what the -" he muttered, peering closer at the object in the distance. "Umm, men!" he shouted. "This dragon has a rider!"

"What!?" The men replied, staring at the dragon.

"Yeah, and it's coming right for us!" Eret answered. "This is certainly odd! But we'll give them what they're asking for! Get ready to fire!"

Sure enough, the massive dragon was coming closer. In fact, it looked like it intended to land on the ship.

"It's a SKRILL!" Eret shouted gleefully. "If we give Drago a Skrill, then he'll give us enough cash to last a lifetime!"

The crew cheered once more.

"Get ready!" Eret shouted. "Fire all at the same time! Ready, one, two three, FIRE!"

Bolas flew from the ship towards the big dragon. With a roar, it thundered into a dive, avoiding the first few nets. However, Eret and his crew kept firing, and one of the bolas wrapped around one of the beast's wings. It started to plummet to the ocean.

Watching carefully, Eret saw the rider leap off the saddle and onto the side of the beast. He drew a thin, straight sword and hacked at the net. It fell off in an instant, and the Skrill caught itself, flying once more towards the ship.

Eret was unnerved. Who would come straight at the person who was trying to kill them unless they knew they could win?

As he was thinking this, the Skrill opened its mouth. A giant bolt of lightning flew from tits throat and struck the ship with a blast. Fire ripped across the deck, and every single one of the bola launchers was destroyed.

The entire crew was hurled to the deck by the jolt of the blast. It had been skillfully aimed; the Skrill had deliberately taken out all their weaponry. Eret could only stare in awe as his crew desperately tried to put out the flames as the Skrill came steadily closer. Then it landed on the deck of his ship with a boom. The dragon was so big that the boat tipped. Its wingspan was about as long as the entire vessel. Eret lost his balance as the beast rocked the boat. He fell on his face, and was too afraid to rise. His crew was cowering in fear as well.

Glancing up, he saw two boots strike the ground. Crawling to his knees, he saw the Skrill leap off the boat and hover directly above it. On the deck stood the rider.

He was garbed in brown armor that matched the color of his dragon, and he wore a masked helmet that covered his face. In his right hand he held a brown sword, which looked long and menacing. The rider strode right up to Eret, who held his hands up while sitting on his knees.

"Don't kill me," he begged. "I am sorry for shooting at your dragon. Please don't kill me!"

The man placed the tip of his sword against Eret's throat. Eret gulped as the razor sharp tip pricked his skin, drawing blood.

"Who are you to fire on my dragon?" the man demanded. His voice was cold as ice.

"I am Eret, son of Eret," Eret replied, still terrified by the masked man. "I am only a dragon trapper."

The rider pulled his blade back a little bit. "You trap dragons?" He demanded. "For whom?"

"Drago Bludvist," Eret replied. "The man who is building the greatest dragon army ever seen."

The man barked a short, fierce laugh. "No army is as great as mine is. But I am looking for your employer, this Drago Bludvist. Where is he?"

"I -" Eret failed to get the words out. If he informed anyone of Drago's whereabouts, and Dragon found out, he would be doomed. But then again, he was doomed anyway.

The rider raised his sword to cut off Eret's head. "You tell me where Drago is or I shall kill you on the spot, tattoo beard!" The rider snarled. The Skrill shrieked to emphasize.

"OK!" Eret cried out. "Drago is four miles south of here! But please don't tell him I told you! He'll kill us all!"

The man lowered his sword. With a nod, he sheathed it again.

"I will speak to your employer," he said. "I regret attacking you like this, but you did strike first." He glanced around at the wreckage on the deck. "I will tell him that you are in need of repairs, and that you have done a fine job working for him. I shall even suggest that he give you a raise in pay, Eret son of Eret."

Eret was astonished. "Umm, all right," he said.

The rider reached down and hauled Eret to his feet. He lifted Eret off the ground and pulled him an inch away from his face.

"However," the rider hissed, "If you tell anyone you have seen me and my dragon, I shall hunt you down. I never fail to do this to whoever crosses me. I SWEAR that shall not stop until you have been eaten alive by my Skrill. Do you understand?!"

"Yes!" Eret shouted, terrified. "My lips are sealed."

"Good." The rider let Eret drop to the floor and walked back to the edge of the deck. The Skrill lowered itself to allow the rider to get on. The man turned around.

"And Lord Zyon ALWAYS does what he swears to do," he said quietly, and then leapt on the Skrill.

Low Asgard, Day 12 since Hiccup's Departure

Loki struck Hiccup on the side of the head.

"No!" he shouted. "That was way too easy to see! The lie must be flawless, clean, and NO emotion can be shown! I could tell that was a lie just because of the way you spoke! Try it again, Hiccup."

Hiccup rubbed his head with a grimace. It was sore from being hit multiple times.

"Do you REALLY think hitting me is, uhh, necessary for this kind of training, Loki?" he asked. "I got enough cruelty from The Wolf to last me a lifetime. I don't think you need to use violence to make me understand."

Loki laughed. "Bah! Violence will be one of the few things you will truly understand when the entire training is over."

Hiccup sighed. "All right, if you say so, Father of Lies. Here I go again; I'll be dishonest at some point in this next sentence."

Loki nodded. "Go on."

Hiccup lifted his chin and spoke, trying to keep his face emotionless.

"My name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, son of Porkbelly the Vast."

Loki slapped him again.

"Porkbelly?" he grinned. "That was amusing for you, and because it was, your face betrayed your humor. You fail again. You must leave no sign when you lie."

"I need a break, Loki," Hiccup replied, sighing. "I have to muster my wits."

"So be it."

Loki leaned back in his chair. After a brief pause, he spoke abruptly. "So tell me, Hiccup, are you in love?"

Hiccup raised his eyebrows. "In love? Yes, I am."

Loki nodded. "Does she love you back?"

"I like to think so," Hiccup answered. "I am sure she does, at least."

"Would you be able to deal with it if you returned to her, looked in her eyes, and found that she was lying about her affection?"

Hiccup frowned cautiously. "Are you implying anything, Loki?" He demanded, a bit harshly.

Loki shrugged. "Nothing in particular. But you are an heir and a hero among your tribe, and as such you may be deceived by women in affairs of love. They could only be there by your side for the power and riches, and their love may be false."

Hiccup shook his head. "Not Astrid. She would never do that."

A slight smile came over Loki's lips, and then it faded. "Very well," he answered. "If you say so. I know nothing of love, at least not that kind."

Hiccup frowned again. "Surely you had at least some attention, being the son of Odin himself?"

Loki barked a short laugh. "Who, me? The younger? Why would the girls chase me when Thor was there?" He shook his head. "Royalty is not always the reason that covetous girls come to you. Only when you are considered a REAL hero do they appear. For instance, what kind of attention did you get before you trained dragons and killed the Red Death?"

"Umm, attention was basically nonexistent at that point," Hiccup replied.

"See?" Loki answered. "Being a hero and having power is what drives these false girls to you. This Astrid girl you speak of, she only 'fell in love' with you after you killed the Red Death, right?"

"No!" Hiccup replied, indignantly. "She first kissed me after I flew her on Toothless."

"After you had harnessed the power of dragons."

"Yeah…"

"Funny, isn't it? How she only began to 'love' you until you had real authority and power?"

"That's yakshit!" Hiccup was angry. "Astrid and I are in love. Sure, we're a little young, but I was actually planning on proposing in a few months or so before I was – kidnapped."

"Oh, its yakshit, is it?" Loki was smiling. "I see, so Astrid was just harboring a MASSIVE crush on you for all that time when you were a useless runt, and OF COURSE she revealed it RIGHT after you were starting to shed that façade. Sounds like REAL love to me, Hiccup."

Hiccup gripped his chair arms. "Shut up, Loki," he whispered. "You're poisoning my mind."

Loki nodded. "Very well. I was only trying to educate, not dissuade your love. Shall we continue the training?"

"Not yet," Hiccup sighed deeply. "You don't seem to know what a 'break' is."

Loki raised an eyebrow. "What are we doing here?"

"Besides tormenting me about how my love could be false, nothing." Hiccup replied sarcastically.

Loki shook his head in amusement. "All right. We'll talk of something else instead. Do you feel like arguing again?"

Hiccup chuckled. "I could handle it, I guess."

"Then why do you despise my actions towards the people of Midgard?"

Hiccup threw his hands in the air. "No reason, other than common sense!"

Loki chuckled. "Common sense? Well, you and other mortals have 'common' sense. I have higher sense, GOD-like sense and intelligence."

"Aww, pshaw!" Hiccup replied. "The Gods are a joke. You are a lying, cheating, false snake. Your father is an overgrown yak with a temper problem. I only met Thor for a few minutes, Eir is a beautiful woman that I don't know a whole lot about, and Aiah is the most God-like of the lot so far."

Loki frowned. "Who is Aiah?"

"Oh, yeah," Hiccup grinned. "I named her Aiah. She likes it. Sweet Little One in Old Norse. You know, the purple eyed seer."

"Ahh," Loki replied. "She is an odd creature, isn't she? However, what did you think of my brother Thor?"

Hiccup shrugged. "He was a lot better than you, if that's what you're asking. He explained my situation to me, and at that point I was so confused I couldn't really tell what his character was. But he seemed really brotherly and nice."

Loki shook his head. "Forever praising Thor," he muttered in disgust.

"Hey, don't spit on your brother because he does stuff RIGHT," Hiccup snapped.

Loki's jaw tightened. "Thor is nothing but a big, happy, handsome fool with a hammer. He has the brain power of a donkey," Loki snapped.

Hiccup laughed. "Says the one with the brain power of a snake."

Loki smiled. "Oh, yes! You have a sharp tongue, boy. I like you more and more, Hiccup."

"Why is it that only the evil God likes me?" Hiccup asked.

Loki scowled. "Once more, I would not call myself EVIL," he argued. "I only see things from the proper prospective, and that viewpoint is above everyone else's, even the other Gods. Because of that I am considered evil, for they simply cannot comprehend it."

Hiccup laughed in scorn. "How is it, then, that ONLYyouhave this stupid gibberish stuffed in your head? If it's truly the RIGHT way, then others should understand it by now."

Loki nodded."I see your point, Hiccup, but it has its fallacies. I am not even being arrogant when I say that I am the smartest being on all the worlds of Yggdrasil. No one, not even my prideful father, questions THAT fact. So it is only natural that I understand things that others do not."

"Then how come you haven't been able to convince others of this 'lives don't matter' twaddle?" Hiccup demanded.

"Iwasable to – once." Loki replied. "Back before I was imprisoned I was training the first Riddari and Captain of Asgard, Lord Zyon. He doubted my teachings at first, but then he, too, came to see what I saw."

"Who is Lord Zyon?" Hiccup demanded. "He was the first to be trained by Asgeirr, wasn't he? I hear of him often."

Loki smiled. "Zyon is an odd being. He is a mere man, an Asgardian man, but he was born at precisely the moment that his mother died. His mother was a wicked woman, and she was sent straight to Helheim. So Zyon was born half in Helheim and half on Asgard. Because of that he is partly immortal."

"I'm a little confused as to what immortal means," Hiccup said. "Can immortals be killed?"

"Oh, yes," Loki replied. "Immortal just means that we never age and never die of natural causes. We can be killed, however. If you were to draw that sword on your back and cleave my head from my shoulders, then Loki would be no more."

Hiccup nodded. "OK, I get it. Go back to Zyon, please. That was interesting."

Loki chuckled in recollection. "My father thought that Zyon's half-immortality was a sign that he was destined to cheat death and do great things. When Zyon, as a child, bonded with an Alpha Skrill, my father's interest was heightened. Odin, in his 'infinite' wisdom, decided to train him with the best that the Gods had to offer. He recruited Asgeirr, the one and only living Warlock, to supervise this education."

"Wait!" Hiccup shouted, interrupting. "Asgeirr is a witch?!"

"A male witch, a Warlock," Loki replied. "Immortal, powerful, and wise, but not yet a God. However, that will come." Loki looked very thoughtful.

"Wow," Hiccup breathed. "I'm being trained by a Warlock."

Loki grinned. "I am full of surprises, am I not? Anyway, let us go back to Zyon. He was trained in the exact same way you shall be, and,"

"Did he face The Wolf?" Hiccup asked.

"Not The Wolf," Loki corrected. "The Wolf was created specifically for YOU. Zyon's beast of terror was a Scorpion, I believe. The elf Kaldr had to kill a Cobra. Each person has their own fears, and Asgeirr created each one for a different purpose. Yours happened to be best conveyed in the form of a Wolf."

"Interesting," Hiccup muttered, rubbing his chin. "So these vile demons are CREATED for the sole purpose of tearing us to pieces?"

Loki shrugged. "For that and other reasons, yes."

Hiccup shook his head in awe. "Who creates them? Asgeirr?"

Loki grinned. "You could say so," he replied. "Warlocks are quite powerful, as I have said."

Hiccup shook his head. "This is amazing. I am learning new stuff all the time. Keep going, Loki. Tell me of Zyon. How long has he been around? If he's still alive he must be hundreds of years old."

Loki nodded. "He is very old, but he is only half immortal, since only half was born in Helheim. The man half of him has died, and the dead half of him still lives, keeping his body intact. He will have become a walking, rotting creature by now."

"Wow," Hiccup muttered. "I wonder how ugly he is."

Loki grinned. "Very ugly, I'm sure. It would fit his character. Anyway, it was during his training that I tried to teach him my viewpoints, as I am trying to teach you. He doubted at first, but as he grew in might and power, he understood, and so did his Skrill, Krelvin. Together we harnessed a hatred for the throne of Asgard and the corrupt Gods."

Loki paused.

"So when I revolted, he came with me, right after he finished his training. It was a legendary tale, but not one that you will hear from any of the Asgardians. Odin erased Zyon from history. It was in the time of trouble for Asgard. I had just abandoned my father and was defeating him in the war. They desperately needed Zyon, the new Captain of Asgard, to lead their troops alongside my brother Thor. Everyone was joyous when Zyon passed the final test, and then as SOON as he did, he turned on them. He struck down FIVE GODS while they were congratulating him, and then fled the city, leaving shocked, hopeless people behind. It was incredible!"

Loki burst out laughing, a fit of humor coming upon him. "Oh, my, the look on my father's face must have been priceless! All he believed about Zyon went down the drain in a second. He was incensed. He had just lost five of his best Gods, and he attacked Zyon and me the next day in his rage. I defeated his army in the battle, of course." Loki said proudly.

Hiccup stared. "Zyon is a backstabbing cutthroat," he said angrily. "If he had an issue with the Gods, he should have been open about it and not deceived them like he did. That was unfair."

Loki laughed. "Asgeirr has surely spoken to you of fairness before. What did he tell you?"

"Basically that life is not fair," Hiccup replied, recalling his trainer's words.

"I would expand on that and say that there IS no such word as fair," Loki replied. "The word itself should even not EXIST! Fair means absolutely NOTHING, because NOTHING is fair!"

Hiccup nodded in agreement. "I've learnedthatby now."

A bell rang, and Hiccup looked up, trying to determine where it came from.

"That is the signal that it is time to progress to the next Section of your training," Loki stated. He rose from his chair. "I will tell you all about Zyon and Kaldr or whoever you want me to tomorrow." Loki extended his hand.

Hiccup stood also, grasping Loki's hand firmly.

"I am sorry to say that I actually enjoyed this, Loki," he said, shaking the God's hand. "It has been – interesting to argue with you on the lesser life issue."

Loki nodded. "It has been. You are more intelligent than anyone else I have spoken to, even Lord Zyon. I promise I will consider your arguments, but promise me that you will consider mine."

Hiccup laughed. "There isn't a whole lot to consider about that evil nonsense," he replied, releasing Loki's hand.

Loki smiled. "You shall see things from my prospective in time, I think. But for now, I will let you deliberate on it. Godspeed, my good Hiccup. And I now I must name you."

"Name me?" Hiccup asked, perplexed. "Why?"

Loki smiled. "I always name my students with the name that befits their character. After the conclusion of this session I have decided that you shall be Vaskar. It means cunning, intelligent, and wise. It is a good name. Keep it well."

Hiccup shrugged. "OK, Father of Lies." He opened the door to the cell and stepped out. Alaedlar was gone, and no one was in sight. He turned around and saw that Loki was watching him from the energy barrier.

"What a freak," Hiccup muttered, and then he chuckled.

"Vaskar, though. I like it."

Low Asgard, Day 12 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup had no escort as he made his up from the low dungeons of Asgard. Alaedlar had vanished, and now he was left to find his own way out of the dungeons. Eventually, after climbing a set of stairs, he found himself in the same hallway that he had been taken through when he first arrived on Asgard. Trying to guess which cell he had been placed in, he walked down the barren stone hall.

Then a door opened from one of the cells, and a golden-clad guard walked out. He faced Hiccup, and then stood still in the middle of the passage.

Curious, Hiccup walked up to the man. He did not move, and Hiccup stopped a few feet in front of the golden-clad guard. The man was at least six inches taller than Hiccup, and looked to be a formidable barrier.

"Look, I need to get past," Hiccup told him calmly. "And I know you don't talk, but maybe you could just step aside and let me get through? I need to go and train."

The guard stood still and made no move to respond. Hiccup shrugged and tried to squeeze through him on one side. The guard shifted over and blocked his way. Staring, Hiccup tried the other side. The guard did the same thing.

"Look, what's your problem?" Hiccup demanded, spreading his hands. "I need to get through. What are you doing, besides being a top-notch ass?"

The guard did not answer.

"Answer me, you useless piece of shit!" Hiccup shouted. "I'm tired of you guards keeping your mouths shut like they're glued together. Get out of my way!"

The guard did not move.

"Fine," Hiccup snarled, drawing Hicca from its sheath. He pointed it at the guard's armor. "Move or I'll run you through with this."

The guard reached out and grabbed Hiccup's wrist in the blink of an eye. Twisting it savagely, the guard made Hicca fell out of Hiccup's fingers and clatter to the floor.

"Hey!" Hiccup shouted. He reached down to pick up the sword. The guard kicked his hand as he reached for it.

"What the Hel is the matter with you?" Hiccup asked, standing up.

The guard said nothing. Instead, he reached up and removed his helmet. Curious, Hiccup wondered what the guards looked like.

The helmet came over his head and revealed a big, broad face with short brown hair. Thick neck muscles bulged from the side. He let his helmet fall to the floor with a clang.

"What are you doing?" Hiccup demanded.

The guard took a step forward and lifted a savage uppercut from the waist. Hiccup only had time to close his jaw before his armored glove crashed into his chin and hurled him backward. He landed in the stone hallway with a thud.

Immediately he leapt to his feet, furious. The guard was simply standing where he had been, and was completely calm, as if nothing had happened.

Wiping his mouth, Hiccup felt blood trickling down his lips.

"Good Gods, what is the MATTER with you!?" he roared at the man. "Are you wanting to fight me, you lout?"

The guard smiled and took off his armored gloves. Raising his fists, he gestured Hiccup to come to him.

Hiccup grinned savagely. "All right," he said. "You asked for it, you dumb moron. I've killed a Wolf that was bigger than you in single combat, and there's no vile mind attacks this time. Oh boy, this is going to be fun."

The guard's smile got bigger.

"Last warning. Get out of my way," Hiccup snarled, approaching him with raised fists.

The guard made no reply.

"You asked for it," Hiccup shrugged, and then attacked.

He didn't even know what happened, but his punches hit nothing but air. Then a blow crashed on his head and he fell like a rock to the floor. Groaning, he looked up. The guard was standing over him, laughing deep and hearty laugh.

"You move slower than a snail on a good day," he chuckled. It was the first time he had spoken.

Hiccup got to his feet slowly, realizing that this man was not a guard. "Who are you?" he demanded. "You aren't a guard."

"I am Vulcan," the man answered. "And I am the best fist fighter on all the worlds of Yggdrasil. This is the next Section of your training today. I am going to teach you how to fight with no weapons. First, though, to show you what a skilled fighter can do, I'm going to kick your ass."

Hiccup nodded slowly, rubbing his chin.

"I believe you," he said. "But look, I have a handicap that you need to know about before we begin."

"What?" Vulcan demanded, lowering his fists curiously. "A handicap?"

"Yeah, take a look at my hands," Hiccup said, showing his knuckles to the big man. "See, if you look closely -"

Hiccup attacked. With two swift, brutal punches, he struck Vulcan in the eye and lower jaw, catching the man completely off guard. Vulcan reeled backward, and Hiccup reached for Hicca. He was never supposed to let the sword leave his person, and he had been particularly angry that Vulcan had let it touch the floor. Sheathing the blade, he took up a fighting stance.

Vulcan recovered from Hiccup's solid blows and stood up to his full height. There was a scowl on his big face.

"It's not often that I fall for that one," he said with reluctant admiration, rubbing his jaw. "You show some promise, Riddari."

"Well, then maybe I have a chance at beating you after all," Hiccup grinned, doubling up his fists.

Vulcan laughed, stepping forward once again. "No, you don't," he said, and swung at Hiccup.

As the blows began to descend, Hiccup realized that Vulcan was right.

High Asgard, Day 12 since Hiccup's Departure

An hour later Hiccup was walking back to Ragnarok. He had dueled Vulcan in the dungeons for an hour exactly. After Vulcan had shown him who the boss was by utterly destroying Hiccup, he then got down to teaching, and Hiccup quickly learned the basics. In fact, he had already figured out how to punch and kick properly. Vulcan had mentioned grudgingly that his form was perfect. Even though he had taken quite a beating in the dungeon hallways, Hiccup felt cheerful. Maybe this training wasn't going to be that bad after all.

He strode into the hallway that led to his quarters, one that was crowded with Asgardian men and women. Remembering Alaedlar's advice, Hiccup kept up a soldierly appearance as he walked. It had its effect. People looked at him with respect and awe. He even heard some of them muttering things like,

"That's the new Rider. They say he's insane."

"Damn, that guy looks like a badass."

"I bet that's the new trainee. Maybe we'll finally get a good Captain after all."

Hiccup ignored the comments and turned to the door that he had come from. Trying it, he discovered that it was unlocked, and he entered. Going past his room and straight to Ragnarok, he stopped. There were two guards there once again, and Hiccup immediately got to the all-important task of teasing them.

"I'm back," Hiccup grinned. "You guys miss me?"

There was no reply, and Hiccup decided to have more fun.

"Hey, I just got done fighting a guy who disguised himself in your armor. He was trying to trick me into thinking that he was a moron, so he naturally decided to look like one of you lubbers."

No sound came.

"Seriously, that golden armor looks about as dumb as your tongues are," Hiccup muttered. "That's one thing I'm NEVER going to wear. I sure don't want to look like a fat donkey with a speech problem."

The guards made no move.

"So what letter were we on, anyway?" Hiccup asked. "It's C, isn't it? Well, I didn't bring a paper this time, but I can tell you about C. It's the third letter in the alphabet and it also -"

One of the guards pointed to the door.

"What?" Hiccup asked. "Oh, it's unlocked? OK. I'll let C pass. It will be D tomorrow, all right?"

Grinning, Hiccup opened the door and stepped in, wondering who would train him now. Looking up, he found himself in front of Asgeirr.

The Warlock was holding a crossbow, and as soon as Hiccup entered, Asgeirr raised it and pointed it at Hiccup. He froze, and Asgeirr fired.

Hiccup grunted as the bolt tore through his new armor and into his lower chest, sinking deep inside him. Staggering backward, Hiccup fell to his knees. Asgeirr had shot him directly in the sternum, which a particularly cruel move. The wound would cause Hiccup to die, but slowly and painfully. Hiccup gritted his teeth and grasped the arrow as the Warlock walked up to him. His life-blood was seeping through the hole in his armor.

"It's sad, isn't it?" Asgeirr said mockingly. "Such a small thing. An arrow. Think of everything you have ever done, Hiccup. Meeting Toothless, riding dragons, winning Astrid's heart, defeating the Red Death, becoming a hero, think of all you have done in your life."

Hiccup grunted in pain, doubling over. The pain was agonizing.

"And yet, with one shot of a crossbow, I can take that away," Asgeirr said. Reaching down, he grabbed the end of the arrow sticking out of Hiccup and, with a brutal twist, wrenched it out of him. Hiccup howled in pain.

Asgeirr twisted the buckler on his forearm, and Hiccup, wheezing for breath, fell to his hands and knees, his body healing. Asgeirr was speaking.

"One little thing can take your life away," Asgeirr laughed. "It is so amusing. An arrow. What is an arrow? It is only a little stick with a point on the end, and yet it can kill the best soldiers, even Gods. It is pathetic."

Hiccup, recovering his breath, clambered to his feet. Asgeirr handed him the crossbow.

"That device in your hands has the ability to kill almost everything simply by pulling a little trigger," Asgeirr said. "Because of the fact that a two year old girl can pull that trigger and kill the best fighter in the world, I believe that the crossbow is the best weapon ever created."

He handed Hiccup a quiver of arrows and pointed to the opposite wall of the room, where rows of targets were set up.

"I shall teach you to shoot with accuracy, speed, and efficiency," Asgeirr informed Hiccup. "We will begin at once."

"Look, Asgeirr," Hiccup replied. "Before we start I need to talk to you. First, I'm sorry for getting angry at you this morning and breaking another table. I didn't realize that I had actually beaten The Wolf. I thought I would have to do it again."

Asgeirr nodded. "Apology accepted."

"But," Hiccup went on, "I don't apologize for calling you a liar. Why didn't you just tell me some stuff, Asgeirr? Why didn't you tell me, for instance, that you are a Warlock?"

Asgeirr stiffened.

"Who told you that?" he demanded quietly.

"Loki did," Hiccup laughed. "Funny, isn't it? How the Father of Lies is more truthful than the man who is charged with my training?"

Asgeirr shook his head. "There was no need to tell you that I am a Warlock," he stated.

"Perhaps not," Hiccup answered. "But still, it was only common courtesy. You know everything about me, don't you? Aiah saw to that. It's only fair that – it's only JUST that I be told who you are."

Asgeirr shrugged. "There was no need to inform you," he said stiffly. "Being a Warlock is something I am not particularly proud of."

Hiccup nodded. "Fine. But Loki knows a LOT. When I talk to him tomorrow, will he tell me stuff about you that will shock me again?"

Asgeirr frowned. "That depends on what makes you get shocked," he said. "But I have nothing more I want to tell you about. If Loki decides to let you know things, then that is his business, but I warn you."

Asgeirr handed two arrows to Hiccup and placed one hand on his shoulder.

"Loki is a dangerous man. He will desperately try to dissuade you from everything you love, and he will poison your mind. Don't let that happen."

Hiccup nodded. "He is a smart God. I'll be careful."

"Good," Asgeirr replied. "I don't want you ending up like Zyon."

"No fear of that," Hiccup replied, loading the crossbow. "I'm not immortal. I'll die long before I can cause that much trouble."

Asgeirr just smiled.

"Maybe, Riddari," he whispered, too quietly for Hiccup to hear.

"Maybe."


	20. war, why do you come

Chapter 20: War, Why do You Come?

"There it is!" Astrid shouted. "Bog Burglar Island is dead ahead! Everyone pull up!"

Five dragons adjusted their wings and recoiled as the wind stuck them, holding them in place in the sky. Slowly, they hovered together, close enough for the riders to talk. All eyes were directed towards a black mark in the distance – Bog Burglar Island. In a twinkling six scopes were trained on the horizon, at the target. The dragons growled in anticipation. Battle was coming.

"All right, there's no sign of reinforcements from anyone," Fishlegs muttered, from his position atop Meatlug. "I'm surprised, I thought at least the Murderous tribe and the Outcasts would have arrived to help them by now. But whatever, the Boggies are still on their own. If we had launched an attack with all of our dragons from Berk, we might be able to destroy the Boggies right now. We should have done it."

"Well, we didn't, genius," Tuffnut replied with a sneer, staring at the island. "Now, is it just me, or does it look like they have a LOT of dragon killing weapons on this island?" Tuffnut seemed almost excited.

"They sure do," Astrid snapped, gripping Stormfly's saddle tighter and lowering her scope. "And if we aren't careful, they'll see us and sound the alarm. But we timed this trip perfectly, Fishlegs. It will be darkest in a few minutes, and that's when we need to strike. What's the plan?"

"All right, here's the plan," Snotlout said, puffing out his chest. "We will go in there and -"

"Snotlout, don't even START to pretend like you're running this," Heather snapped, from her saddle on Spike. She pointed a finger at Snotlout. "You are not telling ME what to do, that's for sure." Heather turned to look at Meatlug. "FISHLEGS, what is the plan?" she asked pointedly.

Fishlegs lowered his scope, a strange gleam in his eyes.

"Well, the first step," he said, "is I'm going to draw and map out all the defenses on this island. So we are going to stay here for a few minutes while I do that." He pulled out a pencil and a paper and began to draw hurriedly.

"Wait, we're DRAWING the island?" Snotlout sneered. "Why don't we just ATTACK!?"

Fishlegs didn't even look up. "Because I was ordered by chief Stoick to do this," he stated simply, his hand dancing skillfully across the paper. "And besides, after this little map I'm drawing is done, I'll be able to determine the most efficient way to check for Hiccup and Toothless and still do as much damage as possible." He continued to draw, sparing no glance for Snotlout.

"All right, let's get prepared while we're waiting," Astrid commanded, her voice authoritative and harsh. "Make sure your black cloaks are on and your weapons are ready. And cool your nerves. This is no longer a silly practice raid like we've done a thousand times in Dragon Training. This is the REAL thing. We will DIE down there if we are not careful. Ruff, Tuff, I'm looking at you." Astrid pointed her axe at the twins.

"Hey, we're here to blow stuff up," Tuffnut grinned, pulling out his spear. Astrid raised her eyebrows in surprise. Tuffnut actually looked quite menacing in his black cloak and his hair pulled back in a long blonde ponytail. Black war paint was striped across his face. Astrid had to admit that he looked like a ferocious warrior.

"Blowing stuff up is our expertise," Ruffnut added. She was wearing the same black war paint that her brother was, and looked almost as fierce. "Don't worry about us, Astrid. You need to worry about yourself. You've never been in a real battle before, either. I mean, where we have to kill people. You be careful, too."

Astrid nodded. "Thanks, Ruff. But don't do anything stupid."

Tuffnut grinned. "Sometimes the stupid stuff is the best stuff to do," he stated.

Astrid was about to laugh, but then checked herself. 'Maybe they're right,' she said to herself. 'That might be a good battle tactic sometime. Just do what the enemy least expects.'

"All right," Fishlegs said. "Everyone get close."

The five dragons veered so that everyone in the group could see Fishlegs in the dim light. He held up his notebook, which had a very detailed drawing of the island and its defenses.

"So here's the plan," Fishlegs said. "We have two goals to meet during the course of this raid. The first one is to ensure that Hiccup and/or Toothless are NOT on the island, and if they are, to free them. The second is to destroy as much useful stuff and dragon-killing weapons as we can. So here's what I propose."

Fishlegs looked at Astrid and Heather.

"You two." He pointed at them. "You will be in charge of searching the island for any sign of Hiccup and Toothless. Your main objective will be to get to the dungeons of the Bog, which are located here." He pointed to a spot on the map, on the west side of the village. "To get there, you can't fly a dragon, it'll be too conspicuous. You need to be on foot."

Astrid and Heather shared uneasy glances.

"Right. I picked you two to do this dangerous task," Fishlegs went on, "because you are the two most intelligent women in this group."

"Hey!" Ruffnut snapped.

Fishlegs looked at her disdainfully. "And ALSO because Ruffnut is better at exploding things than you two are."

"Oh, OK," Ruffnut said, consoled.

"That will be the first segment of the assault," Fishlegs went on. "Snotlout, the twins, and I will be the second segment. Our job is a trifle less difficult but a little more dangerous. We will be striking the island with impunity, and not undercover, like Astrid and Heather. That means we will be shot at. A lot. So I am making that clear right away. You understand?"

Everyone nodded.

"Anyway," Fishlegs went on, "this is what will have to happen. You two will have to look as much like Boggies as you can. That means wearing your hair in a ponytail, and Astrid, you take off that headband. Boggies don't wear those."

Astrid and Heather nodded.

"Next, you will have to discard your black cloaks as soon as you enter the village," Fishlegs instructed. "We will be surprise attacking them, and no one on that island will have time to don a black cloak, so you don't want to look suspicious. So make sure you do that, too."

Astrid and Heather nodded again, and began to fix their hair. Fishlegs went on.

"Now that that's taken care of, here is the general plan. Stormfly and Spike are the two stealthiest dragons. They will fly with Heather and Astrid around the island and approach from the behind. Astrid and Heather will get dropped off right outside the village and then search the prisons for Hiccup. As soon as they reach the dungeons, we attack." He paused. "Stormfly and Spike will swoop in from behind and fly low. They will hit everything they can in the village, especially the forge and the armory. Then they will retreat to the south, and meet up with Astrid and Heather behind the great hall. Meanwhile, we draw attention away from them." He gestured to the other Vikings. "Barf and Belch will blow a massive ball of gas, in a position so that the wind will carry it directly over the village. This will occur at about the same time that Stormfly and Spike attack from behind. When they do, Belch will ignite that gas ball, and scare the piss out of everyone on this island. Then we use their terror against them and attack the defenses for exactly five minutes. We can't linger any longer than that. So Astrid and Heather, you will have to be in and out in that amount of time, because I won't be able to guarantee your safety after that. You understand?"

Astrid nodded. "We've got it, Legs. When does this begin?"

"Right now," Fishlegs replied. "You have three minutes to get into that village before it reaches the darkest point of the night, which is when we want to strike. So move. Are you ready? Stormfly and Spike, do you understand your jobs?"

"We are," Heather said quietly. She pulled her bow over her shoulder. The two Nadders squawked in acknowledgement of Fishleg's plan, and then seemed to converse with each other in Dragonese.

"Then go." Fishlegs commanded. "And remember – this is NOT a joke. If you get stopped, you don't hesitate. Hit to KILL."

Heather licked her lips. "Right, Fishlegs. Astrid, let's go. We'll count the minutes before the attack. Come on."

With a tap on the backs of Stormfly and Spike, the two Nadders zoomed off into the black skies. Barf then began to spew out a massive ball of gas, which the wind quickly began to take towards the island. Astrid felt the breeze whistle through her hair as the two dragons sped quietly around to the back of Bog Burglar Island. Heather was counting under her breath.

"One," she whispered. "Two. Three. Four. Five."

"Six," Fishlegs said. "Seven. Eight. Nine." Barf was still blowing a massive ball of gas. Fishlegs guessed it would pass over the village in two minutes. Astrid and Heather would need to be on the ground and they would have to be ready to attack.

Snotlout drew his sword with a ring.

"Snot," Fishlegs said, turning to the big boy. "Swords aren't going to do you a thing. Use your bow and arrow. We'll be attacking from the sky, not the ground, so you want a distance weapon. And what on earth are you doing with that scroll?"

Snotlout looked up, and hurriedly tucked a rolled up piece of paper back in his pocket. "Umm, nothing," he stammered. "But I think I need this sword. I may have to land, you know, and Snotlout will kick some Boggies around with this bad boy!" He did some complex moves with the weapon.

Fishlegs shook his head. "Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen."

"Seventy-two!" Heather snapped. "Drop now, Astrid!" The two Nadders, flying low over the trees, came up to the edge of the village and dropped the two riders into the soft moss below. There was a final whiz of air as the two dragons flew overhead and began to circle towards the main street. As soon as they attacked, the battle would begin.

"Let's go, Heather!" Astrid said, flinging off her black cloak. "Let's get to the village and strike!"

Heather doffed her cloak as well, still counting the seconds softly under her breath. The two Viking warriors ran through the dark trees and towards the faint lights of the village. Looking above her, Astrid could scarcely distinguish a giant green ball of gas that was floating over the harbor. Spike and Stormfly would attack at any minute now.

Fishlegs snapped his spyglass to his eye, still counting steadily. "Ninety-one. Ninety-two."

He caught a glimpse of two dark dragons, swooping around the swamps to get to the main part of the village. They were riderless. Heather and Astrid must have already dropped off. Fishlegs did some hasty calculations as he saw the Nadders begin to curl towards the attack point. They would be there in exactly 10.43 seconds.

"Get ready to light that gas!" he snapped at Ruff and Tuff, lowering the scope. "Ten seconds! Then we attack!"

"Ten seconds!" Tuff replied. He was keeping a steady hand on Belch's neck. "Get ready to make the biggest blast you've ever done, Belch!"

"Get ready!" Fishlegs hissed, dropping the scope into his bag and grabbing his crossbow. He saw two dragons thunder around the rocks and enter the street of the village. They were now easily visible in a dim torchlight, even though they were daubed in black paint. Together, Spike and Stormfly opened their mouths to blow fire.

"DRAGONS!" Someone shouted from the island, and then Spike and Stormfly struck. Fire roared from their mouths and hit houses and trees as they darted through the village. Explosions and screams began to follow.

"NOW!" Fishlegs shouted to Tuffnut. "Blow em UP!"

Belch spat a giant spark into the air. It hit the trail of gas that led from Barf's mouth to the giant ball of gas that was now directly above the village. There was a hiss as the spark flew up the gas, and then it hit the massive area of green. Fishlegs ducked and covered his ears.

BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!

It was an explosion loud enough and long enough to keep the twins quiet for a full year. The air itself seemed to shake, and the few people that Fishlegs could see on the island were flung to their faces. Cries of terror and pain echoed from the island, and most of the Boggies thought the end of the world had come. It was time.

"Let them know we're here!" Fishlegs shouted, turning to Snotlout. "Berkians! Attack!"

Snotlout raised the Berkian war horn to his lips and blew a long thunderous blast. The noise echoed over the water. The Berk – Bog war had begun.

Astrid and Heather found themselves at the first house of the village. Immediately, Astrid stopped running and began a calm, collected walk, trying to look like two Bog Burglar sentries on patrol. Heather did the same, although she was still muttering the time under her breath. Stepping out in front of the house, they saw a few guards patrolling the area and a few torches were lit. Astrid nudged Heather and pointed ahead of them.

"There are the dungeons, right ahead," Astrid muttered. "If the Gods are willing, Hiccup is in there somewhere."

Heather nodded. "Ninety-seven. Ninety-eight."

The green ball of gas was now almost directly overhead. Astrid tugged on Heather's sleeve.

"Run! Now! To the dungeons!" The two Vikings, hair billowing, burst into a run, and no sooner had they done so when a shout came from the east side of the village.

"DRAGONS!" a Bog Burglar screamed.

There was a roar and a burst of flame as Stormfly and Spike thundered into the village, flying side by side. Liquid flame shot from their mouths and raked the houses along the main village area. Screams of fear and agony began to start from the house that had been hit.

Then there was a crack of fire in the north and then a roaring explosion as Belch lit the gas ball on fire.

BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!

A deafening explosion rocked the island, shaking the air and hurling Heather and Astrid to the ground. Then dragons roared and fireballs came from the sky, smashing into dragon defenses and weaponry. Fishlegs and his squad was attacking.

Astrid leapt to her feet. Pandemonium was breaking out on all sides of them. Houses were being lit up and Bog Burglars were bursting out of their homes, with weapons in hand. Then came a sound that Astrid knew well; the Berkian horn.

"Attack!" A Bog Burglar shouted. "Berk is here! We're under attack!" War horns were being blown all over. Female Vikings were pouring out of their houses with bows in hand.

This was the point where Heather and Astrid's disguise was vital. They were now in the middle of a crowd of Bog Burglars. If it wasn't dark outside, they would have been spotted immediately and killed. But in the thick of a chaotic mess, where everyone was running to defend the village, they blended in perfectly. Together they sped towards the dungeons of the Bog. Heather had her black, spiked bow in her hand, and an arrow was nocked. She raised the bow and let fly, apparently at one of the dragons. But instead the arrow swooped down from above the hill and landed directly in a crowd of Bog Burglars. There was a scream, and a woman fell, a black arrow jutting out of her thigh.

"Nice shot!" Astrid grinned, as they approached the dungeons. "Too bad you didn't kill her!"

"I did," Heather replied quietly. "I coated the tips of my arrows with Jotun Oil. It was poisoned. She'll die in a few minutes."

Astrid stared. Heather was absolutely expressionless. She showed no fear or regret that she had just killed a person.

"I've never heard of Jotun Oil," Astrid stated, as they continued to run to the dungeons. "Is it deadly? Where is it from?"

"It's from Jutonh -" Heather began, and then stopped. "You wouldn't know it. It's not from around here."

Astrid was about to ask where Heather had acquired such a lethal poison, but then the two Vikings reached the iron door that led to the underground dungeon. Reaching for the handle, Astrid found that the door was locked.

"Thor damn it!" Astrid swore. "It's locked!"

"Who goes there?!" Someone shouted from inside. Astrid froze.

"We were sent by Chief Bertha!" Heather shouted, cupping her hands against the door. "She ordered us to come in and ensure that no prisoners escape in the course of this attack!"

"All right," came the answer from inside, and then the lock rattled and the door swung open. Inside was a large, dirty Bog Burglar women dressed in grey clothes. She held up a lantern.

"Who are you?" she demanded harshly, peering at the Berkians. "I've never seen you two before -"

Astrid raised her axe and slammed the blade into the woman's upper chest, right below the neck. The Boggie gurgled and screamed as she fell the floor, dead, blood pouring from the mortal wound. Astrid stood rooted to the ground in shock as the woman died. It was the first time she had ever killed a human being. It was a sickening feeling.

Heather, unmoved, grabbed Astrid's sleeve.

"Let's go, Astrid!" she snapped. Reaching down, she pulled the ring of keys off of the Boggie's belt. Grabbing Astrid, the two warriors leapt into the darkness of the dungeons and down the black stairs.

"You check the right side, and I'll get the left!" Astrid shouted to Heather. "If Hiccup's down here, he's in one of these cells!"

Camicazi, heir to the Bog Burglars, leapt from the front steps of her home, her bow in hand. As soon as she had heard the shouting, she had woken up, and had then been instantly hurled to the floor by an enormous explosion.

BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!

For a second she thought the entire island had been blown up. The ground was shaking and her ears were vibrating with the shock of the loud sound. While her thoughts were still clouded, she wondered what had occurred, but then the Berkian horn blew. It was just the beginning of a dragon raid. They were under attack.

"Get the defense running!" Camicazi shouted, ignoring the ringing of her ears. "Man the nets! War! Battle! Attack!"

Bog Burglars were pouring out of their houses in response to her call. Roars and bellows echoed in the night sky, and balls of fire were released from the sky, striking weaponry and houses both.

Looking ahead, Camicazi saw her mother, Big Boobied Bertha, already getting the Boggies into position. With a quick, practiced eye, Camicazi caught faint glimpses of black dragons darting in the sky. They all had riders. Berk was here.

"Cami! Get down!" Someone screamed at her, and Camicazi turned to the street. Coming directly at her were two Nadders, both painted black and flying only six feet off the ground. They were flying expertly in tandem, wings overlapping, and spraying the main street with hot molten fire. Suddenly, both dragons turned their heads on the forge and blasted. A giant ball of flame hit the forge, and it went up in flames with a roar of heat. The Bog Burglar's trusty forge was gone. In a rage, Camicazi grabbed an arrow and fitted it to her bowstring. The dragons were flying directly above her. Raising the weapon, she aimed for the riders on the dragon's backs.

But there were none.

Camicazi was hurled to the ground by a blast of air as the two dragons thundered overhead. With a few final shots of fire, they vanished into the forest behind the Great Hall. Leaping to her feet, Camicazi looked around at the chaos. Grabbing her unfired bow, she bent it and released the arrow at a fiery Monstrous Nightmare that was plaguing the Eastern defenses. She couldn't tell if she hit it.

Flames were erupting all around her, and Camicazi realized that soon the whole island would catch fire. Grabbing a nearby bucket of water, she flung it on a burning house. It did little, but it was a start.

"Get water!" She screamed. "Put out these fires! And kill the dragons! Make Berk pay!"

Around her, Bog Burglars rallied to her cry. Buckets of water were already being handed around, and fires were being doused. The old experience from the dragon raids they used to deal with was returning.

Then a thought came to Camicazi. Why had the two Nadders been riderless? If they were Berkian dragons, then they should have had soldiers on top to guide them through the battle. What had happened to the riders? As Camicazi pondered, she began to grow uneasy. The dragons had been flying low. The only reason they would have done that would be to drop someone off in the village, since being lower meant being more of a target. But who had they dropped off, and why?

Camicazi whirled and directed her gaze towards the dungeons. There were two women in front of the door, each armed. As she watched, the dungeons opened, and one of the women swung her axe. It smacked the door warden in the chest, and blood sprayed. Camicazi drew her sword and spun to see how many Boggies were with her. There were three.

"Come with me!" She roared. "There are Berkians at the dungeons!"

With angry shouts, the Bog Burglars sprinted down the hill to the jails.

Together the two Berkian warriors sprinted down the passageway, looking into the cells as they passed. There was no Hiccup or Toothless. However, in the last two prisons, there were two beaten and ragged Bog Burglars. When they caught sight of Astrid and Heather, they leapt to their feet and sprung to the bars of their cells.

"Save me!" one of them shouted.

"Let me out!" cried the other.

"Stop that shouting!" roared Heather, and drew a long thin, knife from her belt. Leaping forward, she slammed the blade into the first prisoner's eye. Gore splattered as the woman staggered back, clutching her face. She fell to the ground with a thud. Before Astrid could do anything, Heather leapt across the passageway and reached through the bars. Grabbing the second prisoner with one hand, she slammed her against the iron bars and held the bloody knife in front of the frightened Boggie's face.

"Not a sound or I'll gut you," Heather said, her voice icy as death. "How long have you been in this cell, you bitch?!"

The Boggie looked terrified. "I've been in here for a month," she gasped, staring in horror at the knife. Her eyes shifted to the dead prisoner in the other cell. "Please don't kill me!"

"Was a boy, around my height, with brown hair and green eyes, ever put in any of these cells?" Heather demanded, pricking the skin below the Boggie's eye with the tip of her blade.

"No!" the Boggie screamed, terrified. "Never! I have never seen anyone like that since I have been in here!"

Heather smiled. "Thank you," she said, and then drew the knife across the Boggie's throat. Astrid gasped as blood splashed over Heather's face. The prisoner's scream was cut off and she fell, blood gurgling from her neck. Astrid stared in horror at the gruesome image, and Heather merely wiped her knife clean on her skirt.

"Why did you do that?!" Astrid demanded, grabbing Heather's arm. She gestured to the dead prisoners, watching as the blood pooled around their heads. "They were defenseless!"

Heather looked steadily at Astrid, drops of red blood dripping down her face.

"This is war, Astrid," she said quietly, and without emotion. "We had no intention of freeing them. If we had let them live, they would have alerted the others that we were in here, hoping to earn favor and gain their freedom. They had to be dispatched. Besides, when the war begins in earnest, the Boggies won't care if they have criminals, they'll free them so they can fight against us. We would have had to kill them in a later battle."

Astrid frowned. "But they were unarmed. It wasn't fair to kill them like that. You should have just knocked them out."

Heather shrugged, and sheathed her knife. "It's war, Astrid," she said. "And war isn't fair. You'll get used to it. Come on, Hiccup's not in here. Let's go."

"You're going NOWHERE!" a sharp female voice shouted, and the two Berkians snapped their heads up to look at the entrance. Standing in the doorway, with her hands on her hips and flanked by three Boggies, was Camicazi.

Heather yanked an arrow from her quiver and let it fly. It was heading straight for Camicazi's chest, but the girl skillfully ducked and the arrow smacked into the shoulder of one of the other women. The Boggie who got hit screamed, and her eyeballs bulged. She started to convulse and then fell down the stairs, flapping her arms and legs around like a fish. The poison on Heather's arrows was apparently quite effective.

Camicazi wasted no time. "She has poisoned arrows!" She shouted, drawing her two swords. "Watch out, Bog Burglars!"

With a battle cry Camicazi leapt down the stairs, followed by her two soldiers. Heather, having no time to reload, dropped her bow and drew a short, curved sword from her belt. Yelling, the three Bog Burglars attacked. Camicazi held two thin, curved blades, and she led the charge. Spinning around expertly, she swung one blade at Heather and the second at Astrid. Heather ducked under the hack and came up to meet one of the other soldiers. However, Astrid raised her axe and blocked the blow. While Camicazi's left side was still spinning from the sword that missed Heather, Astrid spun around herself and kicked Camicazi in the side with her leather boot. The force from Camicazi's spin, combined with Astrid's strong kick, carried her through, and she slammed against the iron bars of the prison, falling on her face and losing her swords.

However, Astrid's move got her off balance. The second Bog Burglar jumped at her and swung her blade. Astrid raised her axe to block it but the force of the attack knocked it out of her hands, and she fell to the ground with a crash. With a shout of triumph, the Boggie leapt at her with her axe raised. Astrid rolled over and the axe struck the stone floor next to her with a crash. With another skillfully placed kick to the Boggie's kneecap, Astrid sent the Boggie falling forward. Jumping to her knees to finish the job, Astrid looked ahead and saw Heather get thrown against the wall by the other Bog Burglar.

"Watch out!" Astrid screamed, and flung her throwing knife at the Boggie fighting Heather. It struck the woman in the back of the head and sunk all the way to the cross guard. The woman collapsed to the ground, and Astrid leapt to her feet, looking concernedly at Heather. But Heather's looked transformed from relief to horror as Astrid looked at her. Heather grabbed Astrid's axe and leapt at Astrid, swinging it.

"Duck!" She screamed.

Astrid did not need to be told to duck. Heather was swinging her own axe at her face. She hurled herself to the ground and felt blood splash all over her back as Heather's swing hit home. The Bog Burglar that Astrid had kicked had tried to get Astrid from behind, and Heather had saved her. Astrid sprung to her feet in time to see the Boggie falling, dead as a post, Camicazi staggering to her feet, blood dripping from a cut on her chin. She grabbed one of her swords that had been knocked to the floor.

Heather tossed Astrid's axe to her and picked up her own fallen sword.

"Heather, get out of here," Astrid commanded, taking her axe back from her friend. "Go to the Great Hall and get picked up by Spike. Tell Stormfly to get me here." She pointed her bloody axe at Camicazi. "We have business together."

Heather looked at Astrid and, sheathing her curved, wicked sword, nocked another arrow to her bow.

"I can kill her right now," she said to Astrid, drawing back on the string and pointing the arrow at Camicazi, who stiffened. "Come on, let's both go."

"NO!" Astrid snapped, grabbing Heather's bow arm. "She's the heir to the Bog. I need her alive. I need her to talk to me." She paused. "About Hiccup."

Heather looked at Astrid's determined expression and then nodded. She took the arrow off the string and threw her bow over her shoulder.

"All right, if you're sure you don't want help," she said. "But one of us has to be in the right place or things will go really wrong. Hurry up and kill her, Astrid. Stormfly will be coming in a few minutes."

Heather turned and sprinted to the stairs, leaving Astrid and Camicazi facing one another in the dungeons.

"Watch out, Meatlug!" Fishlegs shouted, just in time. A net careened over their heads and whizzed into the darkness. Meatlug replied angrily by firing a large ball of fire towards a wooden tower on the shoreline. It struck home, and Boggies screamed, leaping from the flaming wreckage.

"Nice shot!" Fishlegs shouted. "We're whipping them! Keep it up!"

Raising his crossbow, Fishlegs aimed for a group of Bog Burglars that were firing arrows up and Barf and Belch. With a twang, he released the arrow and watched it whiz through the night sky. Fishlegs thought that his aim was horrible, but to his great surprise, the arrow thudded right into a Bog Burglar's face. Fishlegs shouted in dismay as the woman pitched the ground with a shriek, blood pouring from her mouth and ruined head. It was Fishleg's first kill.

"Get higher!" he shouted to Meatlug, still shaking with horror at what he had done. "Get out of range! We're vulnerable here!"

Meatlug, on command, veered away from the attack and flapped up to where Bark and Belch were retreating after laying waste to the defenses on the Northern shore.

Tuffnut had blood spattered all over his armor and face, and he was leering a big, warrior like grin.

"This black paint is working!" Ruffnut shouted, happily. "They can't see us at all!"

"I know!" Fishlegs shouted back. "I knew it was a good idea, didn't think it would work so well!"

"Well, we've got a minute left!" Fishlegs shouted. A net, fired from the island, flew past, clipping Meatlug and causing the dragon to yip in pain.

"Where's Snotlout?" Fishlegs shouted, as Meatlug recovered.

"Over on the west side!" Tuffnut shouted, directing Belch back down to the action. "And he was in trouble, last I saw. You should go help him, Legs. Ruff and I will attack to the east."

"Good thinking, Tuff," Fishlegs said. He tapped Meatlug's side. "Let's go, girl! Find Snotlout!"

Meatlug flapped quickly through the black night and swooped down to look for Hookfang and his rider. Meanwhile, Fishlegs heard shouts from the other side of the island as the twins struck.

Then Fishlegs saw Snotlout and Hookfang. He gasped in amazement. Hookfang had landed on the island! In fact, he had landed right on top of the Great Hall! He was perched on the beam that held up the building, launching fireballs into the village at random.

And Snotlout wasn't there. Someone else was.

Grabbing his scope, Fishlegs looked at the Hall. Standing directly below Hookfang on top of the Great Hall was Heather, her black hair billowing in the breeze. Her bow in hand, she was kneeling on top of the Great Hall, firing arrow after arrow into the village, combining with Hookfang to make a truly dreadful assault.

Then Snotlout burst out of the Great Hall, wielding his sword. With a war cry, he struck down a Bog Burglar and leapt down the stairs.

"Hookfang!" He shouted, over the roar of the battle. "Get me! Come on!"

As he heard his rider's cry, Hookfang immediately came down from the roof of the Great Hall and scooped up Snotlout in his claws. Together they swooped high into the sky, arrows and nets quizzing after them. Fishlegs noted that Hookfang was riddled with arrows. He had been hit many times.

Fishlegs wondered what in the name of Thor Snotlout had been doing, risking his life by entering the Great Hall. But now was not the time.

Concerned for Heather, Fishlegs directed his gaze back at his soldier on top of the Great Hall. Even as he looked, two Bog Burglars sprang up from a hole in the burning roof and attacked the raven-haired girl.

Heather reacted. She whipped her last arrow from her quiver and, without drawing it, slammed it into the first Boggie's side. Then she spun around and drew her curved blade, which was already stained with blood. Faster than Fishlegs guessed was possible, she slashed it across the second soldier's face. Blood sprayed, and the Boggie fell to the shingles, rolling off the roof and catching fire as she did so. She hit the ground with a thud, her body now a mass of flames. Fishlegs expected Heather to finish off the Boggie she had stabbed with the arrow, but instead she ignored the woman and ran across the roof to the backside of the Great Hall. Fishlegs stared at the woman Heather had stabbed. Instead of simply being injured, like Fishlegs expected, the woman was screaming and convulsing, her arms and legs flapping around.

"Whoa!" Fishlegs cried, staring in shock as the Bog Burglar seemed to shake herself to death. "Poisoned arrows! She didn't tell me about that, Meatlug!"

Meatlug didn't answer. She only swooped lower and fired at a net-launching machine below her. Fishlegs kept his eye on Heather, and he saw that she jumped off the Great Hall onto a black dragon, and immediately flew away. Fishlegs made himself a mental note that Heather was a deadly warrior. Not only had she kept her cool and killed a lot of enemies, she had also done her task properly.

But where was Astrid?

Camicazi raised her curved sword and smiled viciously at Astrid. Taking two steps to her right, she tried to circle. But Astrid refused to be tricked by the move. She had to stay between Camicazi and the door, or else she would have no way out. So she simply stepped back. Camicazi was a smart girl and a skilled fighter. Astrid knew that she had to be on her guard to beat her.

"What did you to Hiccup?" Astrid snarled, taking up a fighting stance and raising her axe. Camicazi smiled.

"Oh, that's right. You're his precious little girlfriend, aren't you?" She taunted, moving closer. "I almost forgot." Her smile was maddening, and Astrid had to resist the urge to leap at her and chop her head off. Instead she controlled herself and spoke.

"Don't start this nonsense," Astrid snapped. "Because I AM his girlfriend, and I'm going to avenge him." She raised her axe threateningly, blood still dripping from the blade. "What did you do to him, you filth!?"

Camicazi's smile only got bigger.

"So you ARE his girlfriend," she teased. "Wow. I thought you were just joking at first, lovey-dovey. But your dear Hiccup didn't care about you at all. At least, he seemed to forget ALL about you once I got a hold of him."

Astrid's fingers tightened on her axe, showing white knuckles. "You're lying," she whispered. "You killed him."

Camicazi laughed, and took a casual step forward. "Your dear boyfriend was a pretty good kisser," she said. "And he was even better in bed. Why should I kill the best man I ever fucked?"

Astrid's eyes widened, and she lowered her axe. "You WHAT?!"

Camicazi kept her mocking grin on her face. "Oh, yes," she said, still slowly creeping forward arrogantly, her hips swaying underneath her skin-tight black leggings. "It was amazing. His strong shoulders and abs, his chest, oh, it was a dream. Those muscles aren't big, but they're lean and strong. By the Gods, it was so much fun."

"YOU LIE!" Astrid screamed.

"We Bog Burglars lie a lot, it's true," Camicazi smirked. "But how could I ever fake that? I can still remember the night we had. The smooth muscles, him crying out my name, it was unforgettable."

"LIAAAAAAAAARRR!" Astrid shouted, and leapt at Camicazi in a rage. "Die, you little Bog Burglar bitch!"

She hacked at Camicazi wildly with her axe, and then realized in horror what had happened. Camicazi had galled her. Camicazi was expecting her to attack in anger, and she was prepared. Astrid's heart nearly stopped as she saw Camicazi coolly duck under Astrid's attack and swing one of her curved swords at Astrid's chest.

Astrid would have died then and there if it hadn't been for the woman that Heather had killed. The blood had oozed all over the stone, and as Astrid's foot landed, she slipped, involuntarily falling away from Camicazi's blade. The sword missed her chest and glanced off her shoulder armor, sending sparks flying. Astrid landed on the floor and rolled over in the blood, springing to her feet.

"Lucky little whiner," Camicazi said, twirling her swords. "You're about as talented as a baby goat."

Astrid took two deep breaths. She could not let Camicazi rile her again, because she was right. Astrid had gotten lucky. But she replied haughtily.

"I'm talented enough to beat YOU," she smiled. "Your only talent lies in trickery and deceit. You have about as much skill with a blade as I've got in my little finger. Come at me."

Camicazi laughed. "I was talented enough to kill your boyfriend."

Astrid gasped. "You killed him? What did you do with him?"

Camicazi kept laughing an evil laugh. "I slit his throat. Slowly. He died a long and agonizing death. Then I burned the body to get rid of the evidence."

Astrid trembled with emotion. "You killed him," she whispered. "Why?"

Camicazi shrugged, stepping forward. "Because I wanted to. I want to kill a lot of people, including – YOU!" She swung her swords again. Astrid, stunned with the shock of Camicazi's claim, was off guard again. However, she managed to deflect the attacks with her axe, dancing backwards as Camicazi pressed the attack. She was good with a blade.

Fishlegs, from his authoritative position above the battle, couldn't find where Astrid was.

He had naturally assumed that Astrid would check the dungeons for Hiccup, but since he had seen both Heather and Astrid dropped off there, and Heather had made it to the rendezvous point on the Great Hall, then Astrid had either been killed or had stayed behind to do something. It could even be a good sign, Fishlegs mused. If she found a clue that Hiccup was here, she might stay to see what she could find. Maybe if Fishlegs looked around, he could locate and perhaps help the blonde Viking. After all, he had promised Hiccup to keep her safe.

Meatlug seemed to sense her master's concern, and moved faster. Fishlegs ordered her to stay out of the range of the bows, but they were still a target for bolas and javelins, which Fishlegs had noted were being fired from net launchers. Glancing around, Fishlegs gasped. What he saw shocked him. Raising his scope to his eye, he gaped at the training ring that the Bog boasted.

The dragon cages were filled.

Fishlegs was beyond staring. He was appalled. Why would the Boggies be capturing dragons? If they truly opposed the beasts, like he had assumed, then why would they be capturing them? To learn to fight them? That didn't seem to make sense, since they hadn't been doing that earlier, and these dragons were not kept in closed doors. They were being given every kind of comfort and even being allowed some fresh air. The Bog Burglars were treating them with respect. His mind abuzz with questions, Fishlegs turned his gaze to look for Astrid once more. He didn't see her, but he did see a black shadow darting through the village.

It was Stormfly, on her way to rescue her rider.

With a clash, Astrid's and Camicazi's blades locked, and their faces came within three inches of each other's.

"You're going to die," Camicazi snarled, spitting in Astrid's face. "Just like your boyfriend."

Astrid glared back at Camicazi, her eyes boiling with rage and Camicazi's spit trickling down her face. "I'm not dying, YOU are!" she hissed angrily. "Don't think you can get away killing any Berkians, especially the heir!"

Camicazi laughed and shoved Astrid backwards. The weapons untangled.

"Heir or not, he's dead," Camicazi grinned, stepping back. "And you will be, too, once I'm done with you."

There was a squawk from the doorway. Camicazi glanced up, her menacing façade vanishing and being replaced with fear. Astrid, knowing exactly what the noise was, smiled.

"I don't think so," she grinned. "Stormfly, fire!"

Astrid hurled herself to the ground as a boiling hot ball of fire whistled over her head and straight at Camicazi. With a yell of pure terror, Camicazi leapt to one side, but the fireball struck the wall next to her and the explosion hurled her six feet away. She crashed brutally against the iron bars of the dungeons and lay still, her black suit smoking and her straight blonde hair singed. Astrid wasn't sure if she was dead or not, and she didn't wait to find out. Stormfly was vulnerable, just sitting in the street in front of the dungeons.

Astrid leapt to her feet and dashed for the door, where Stormfly was anxiously waiting. The color of the dragon was visible on her head, for all the fireballs had melted the black tar off her scales. She squawked desperately for her rider. Leaping up the stone steps of the jail, Astrid jumped over the dead bodies of the Bog Burglars she had killed and scrambled onto the back of her dragon.

"Let's go, Stormfly!" she shouted. "Hurry! We're out of time!"

Boggies were running from all around at her. Stormfly was now a sitting duck in the middle of the village. Boggies were grabbing their bows to shoot at her.

Spreading her black wings, Stormfly tensed and hurled herself into the air. Astrid heard twangs as bowstrings were released and Stormfly roared in pain as the whole volley smacked into her neck and side. Astrid shouted in anger as grey-feathered arrows jutted from her dragon all over. Stormfly faltered in her flight, dropping down and almost hitting the houses below her. Astrid frantically leaned forward to encourage her dragon.

Then liquid fire shot through Astrid's side, and she screamed in pain, arching her back.

Looking down with a gasp, she saw a grey-feathered arrow sticking through her blue shirt, just above her right hip. Blood was already pouring from the wound and staining her spiked leather skirt. Another arrow whizzed past her face, and another glanced off her spiked skirt, just below where she had been hit. Then Stormfly regained her balance, and she hurled into the night sky, with helpless shouts of Bog Burglars echoing behind them.

With another stifled scream, Astrid looked down at her wound. The pain was agonizing. With a quick glance, Astrid saw that the wound was not serious, just incredibly painful. The arrow had sunk in right above her hipbone, and every time she moved her leg, it jostled the arrow and made it feel like a thousand daggers were being shoved into her waist.

Gasping in both relief and pain, Astrid guided Stormfly over the treetops behind the village. Hanging low in her saddle due to the arrow, she didn't look up as a dragon swooped alongside Stormfly. But the voice told her it was Heather.

"You've been shot!" Heather gasped, concerned. "Astrid, are you OK?"

"I'm - good," Astrid grunted, although that was not entirely true. "Got me - in the side, the - bastards. I'll live." Ignoring the pain, Astrid spared a glance up to look at Heather. The black-haired girl was sitting upright in Spike's saddle with a concerned look on her face. An ugly cut showed above her right eye. Her quiver was empty, and her shirt and hands were stained with gore.

"How – many – did you kill?" Astrid asked in awe. Heather looked like she had walked through a sea of blood, she was so battle-stained.

Heather grinned savagely. "I got a LOT of them. They're all fools, to run around in groups. All I had to do was pump poisoned arrows into the mobs and I got at least eight doing that. Plus the one I killed in the dungeons and the one on the roof, and if you count the two prisoners, that's a dozen." Heather shrugged. "You shouldn't talk, Astrid, especially if that arrow is anywhere near your stomach. Every time you speak it will inch the arrow deeper in."

"I'll – keep – that – in mind," Astrid gasped. "Thor – it – hurts."

"Well, no shit." Heather laughed. "And what happened with Camicazi? Did you get shot while fighting her?"

"No," Astrid grunted. "Stormfly killed her, I think. She – admitted – to killing –Hiccup."

Heather gasped. "No way!"

Astrid nodded. "I think - she - exaggerated - to make me - mad, but I think - she did - kill him."

Heather looked stricken. "That does it," she whispered quietly. "The Bog will burn for this!"

Astrid nodded, and the two dragons suddenly found themselves flying over the sea instead of the treetops. Astrid tapped Stormfly's side, and the dragon squawked in acknowledgement. The two dragons turned to the South, back to where the other dragons would be retreating.

"Good – girl," Astrid said to Stormfly, patting her faithful dragon. "You were great."

Heather nodded. "Both Spike and Stormfly did an awesome job. They wrecked the forge and the armory, and then some. It was a very nice job."

She patted Spike affectionately. "I've decided I want my own Nadder, Astrid," she said. "I know this isn't the time, but when we get back to Berk I want you help me pick one out."

"Sure," Astrid groaned, and then stifled another scream as the arrow shifted in her side. She gasped for air.

"Hey, take it easy," Heather warned. "We'll land on the closest island and get that arrow extracted after we meet up with the others. And speaking of them, there they are."

Astrid looked up, and saw three dragons in the sky. Meatlug, Barf and Belch, and Hookfang were all hovering out of range of all weapons, and waiting for the two Nadders.

"We're here!" Heather shouted, as the dragons arrived.

"Aha!" Fishlegs had a triumphant grin on his chubby, sweaty face. "A complete success! Yell what I told you to yell, Snotlout!"

Snotlout Jorgenson, a big smile on his face, raised a trumpet to his mouth.

"BOG BURGLARS!" He boomed over the trumpet, as savagely and harshly as he could. "WE ARE BERKIANS! WE ARE DRAGON RIDERS! WE ARE YOUR DOOM! TODAY WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING! SOON YOU WILL ALL DIE IN FIRE AND BLOOD! NONE CAN WITHSTAND THE MIGHT OF THE DRAGONS, AND OF THE GREAT SNOTLOUT JORGENSON, HEIR TO BERK!"

The dragons all roared in reply, the sound echoing over the island. Astrid could almost feel the terror emitting from the Bog Burglars below them, and would have laughed if the arrow wasn't such a burden on her breathing.

However, despite the fear that Astrid felt from the island, there were no screams or cries of terror. Instead, there was only silence and the crackling of flames. Then a sharp voice came from the dark.

It was Camicazi.

"DIE, BERKIANS!" She roared. "YOU CANNOT DEFEAT US! YOU SURPRISED US TODAY, BUT NEVER AGAIN! YOUR DRAGONS WILL DO NOTHING FOR YOU!"

"Laugh, everybody!" Fishlegs hissed. "Laugh loudly!"

The twins were happy to oblige. They burst out in a raucous laugh that carried a long way. Snotlout boomed his chuckle over the trumpet, and Fishlegs and Heather cackled amusedly. Astrid obviously did not participate.

"WE'LL BE BACK TO KICK YOUR ASSES AGAIN!" Snotlout roared. "MIGHT AS WELL GO AND SLIT YOUR OWN THROATS BEFORE WE RETURN! BY THOR, YOU'LL WISH YOU HAD!"

"All right, that's enough," Fishlegs said proudly. "That'll make them think twice. Let's get out of this infernal place."

Turning Meatlug he glanced at Astrid and then yelped.

"Astrid, you've been shot!"

"Thank you – for that valuable insight – Fishlegs!" Astrid snapped angrily. "I am – fully – aware that – I am – shot!"

"Well, we'll have to land," Fishlegs asserted. "On the closest island. Stormfly, Spike, and Hookfang got hurt, and now you're also hit. We need to get bandaged up before the flight back to Berk."

"Right," Heather said. "And I saw an island just a little further from here. Let's go use that."

"Right," Fishlegs said. "And congratulations, Berkians, and Heather. We seriously whipped them. Nice job."

With cheers and laughter, the raiding party swooped through the night sky and towards an encampment for the night.


	21. checkmate

Chapter 21: Checkmate

Uninhabited Isle, 2 miles North of Bog Burglar Island, Day 13 since Hiccup's Departure

"YEEEAAAARRRRGGGHHH!"

"Hold still, Astrid!" Fishlegs commanded. Taking his thin knife and taking a firm hold on Astrid's waist, he probed the arrow embedded in Astrid's side gently with his knife. Astrid screamed in agony, writhing on the dirt next to Stormfly.

"All right," Fishlegs muttered, taking a cloth handed him by Heather and wrapping it around the arrow to stop the bleeding. He touched Astrid's shoulder. "Can you hear me, Astrid?"

"Yeah," Astrid grunted. Her face was white with pain, and her hands were clenched into round, hard fists. Lying on her side, her head up against Stormfly, she tried to ignore the arrow sticking out of her side and focus on what Fishlegs was saying.

"Listen to me," Fishlegs said. "You were shot by a standard Viking bow, with the usual 24 inch arrow. I measured 22.5 inches from the entry point to the feathers, so that arrow, including the tip, is over two inches deep in your side."

Astrid nodded. No wonder it hurt so much.

"And it couldn't have picked a better – or worse – spot," Fishlegs went on, wiping his brow, which was slick with sweat. "It missed your lungs and liver and all the vital organs, but because of that, it hit your hipbone." Fishlegs tapped Astrid's hip. "Basically what I'm saying is the arrow was shot at an angle where the barb of the tip got stuck behind your hipbone. It will be – umm, difficult to remove." Fishlegs twisted his hands. "So what I'm going to have to ask you to do is swing your right leg up as high as you can so that the arrow has the clearest way for me to remove it, and uhh, yeah -"

"What do you mean?!" Astrid snapped.

"It's going to hurt!" Fishlegs, blurted, a little forcefully. "A LOT," he then added.

Astrid nodded and gritted her teeth, bracing herself. Heather pulled off her leather finger guard and handed it to Astrid.

"Bite on that," she ordered. "You'll want it." Reaching forward, she stuffed the leather between Astrid's teeth, and the blonde Viking, nodding a terse thanks, bit down on it. Fishlegs, receiving a nod from Heather, reached for the arrow and took a firm grip on the shaft. Heather reached forward and clasped Astrid's hand.

"All right, Astrid, I need you to move your leg now," Fishlegs commanded, his eyes fixed on the wound.

Steeling herself, Astrid gripped Heather's hand hard and swung her leg to the right. She yelled in pain as the arrow shifted inside her, and in the same moment Fishlegs grabbed it and, with one quick tug, yanked the barbed bolt from her side.

Astrid screamed, and for a second she almost blacked out from the pain. Gasping, she felt Stormfly twitch in discomfort at seeing her in such agony. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and saw Fishlegs toss a bloody arrow to the ground.

"Get me that ale, Heather," Fishlegs said, reaching out his hand. Heather, one hand still grasping Astrid's, handed Fishlegs a sealskin which contained hard alcohol. Taking off the cap, Fishlegs poured it into Astrid's wound.

Astrid gritted her teeth against the leather as her injury burned like lava. Then she felt a soft, smooth cloth placed over the wound and carefully cinched tight. She opened her eyes once more and looked down at her side. It was cleanly bandaged, and Fishlegs was wiping her blood off his hands with a rag.

"You should be fine for now, Astrid," he said. "It'll still hurt like crazy, but I think it'll be fully healed in just a few weeks. You should be able to fight with it in the next few days. Have Gothi look at it when we get back to Berk, all right?"

Astrid nodded, spitting out Heather's leather finger guard to gasp for air. Her bite marks were clearly visible in the cowhide.

Heather helped Astrid sit up.

"You OK?" Heather asked concernedly.

Astrid nodded, groaning. "Yeah, I'm good. Just - that was rough."

Looking up, she saw the rest of the gang sitting around the fire, all looking at her with grim looks on their faces.

"Well, that was a very good lesson for me," Tuffnut said slowly. "NEVER get shot with an arrow. That was tough to watch."

Ruffnut nodded. "Geez, Astrid, that must have been freakin' painful. Oww."

"Thank you - SO much, Ruff, for that – spot-on analysis," Astrid growled, swinging her legs around and leaning against Stormfly. Her dragon, although recuperating herself, crooned and nuzzled Astrid with her snout.

"Hey, at least it wasn't one of Heather's arrows," Tuffnut grinned. "Holy Thor, Heather, I saw what those things did to your opponents. What in the name of the Gods did you put on those arrows that made the Boggies flop around like fish?"

Heather looked down, but Fishlegs nodded in agreement, looking at Heather.

"Yes. Those were deadly and brutal, Heather. I didn't like it at all. What was that stuff?"

Heather looked up.

"It's called Juton Oil," she said quietly. "I was told that there's only three bottles of it in the world. Two are lost, and I have the third." She patted the satchel next to her. "I got it from a trader back on my island, who says it was made by a distant people that have utterly no mercy for their enemies. I didn't believe him, but bought it nonetheless – for a steep price. I didn't know what exactly it did until today. I certainly believe that trader now."

Fishlegs looked curious for a second, and opened his mouth as if to ask a question, but then appeared to change his mind.

"All right, listen, everyone," he said, wiping the final drops of Astrid's blood off his hands. "I have several issues to discuss, but first of all, let me start the congratulations. That raid was a HUGE success."

The Vikings began to nod, but Astrid made a noise.

"No it wasn't," Astrid whispered. "Hiccup wasn't there."

The gang looked at her, and Fishlegs spoke again.

"Come on, Astrid, we all knew he wasn't going to be there. He's DEAD, no question about it. But I am quite confused now, as to the reason why they killed him. Did any of you see their dragon-training ring?"

Tuffnut nodded. "Yeah, me and Ruff attacked the Eastern defenses and saw it. They had dragons in there. Lots of em."

"That's normal," Fishlegs said. "But there was something that didn't make any sense about the dragons. What was different about the cages, Tuff?"

The whole gang was now listening attentively. Tuffnut squinted, trying to remember.

"Uhh, geez, I don't know," he grimaced. "But wait! Yeah, they had nice straw beds and carved water trays and stuff, like we do back on Berk. The cages were nice. They looked like they were made to make the dragons – happy."

Astrid sat up, grunting as her side ached in protest.

"What?!" She demanded in shock.

"That's right," Fishlegs said grimly, leaning back against Meatlug. "The Bog Burglars are capturing dragons, but NOT to fight them for training. They are trying to RIDE them. They're trying to TRAIN them."

Heather stared, blinking her cat-like eyes.

"That doesn't make any sense," she argued, pushing a lock of black hair behind her ear. "That's why they killed Hiccup, right? Because they thought riding dragons was evil. They can't be doing it themselves, can they?"

"That's what I mean," Fishlegs replied. "It doesn't make sense, Heather. Why would they kill a guy like Hiccup for riding a dragon if they were just going to turn around and try to do it as well?"

There was silence. The flames of the fire crackled as each Viking pondered the strange occurrence. Fishlegs continued.

"There must have been another motive. Another reason that the Bog Burglars decided to kill Hiccup, not the fact that he was a dragon rider."

"Wait, hold on a second!" It was Tuffnut. He took off his helmet and scratched his head in a rare show of actual thoughtfulness. "So, if they are really trying to train the dragons themselves, how do they expect to get help from the other tribes? I mean, all their allies will come and will only fight for them if they share the same viewpoints, right? It's the common hatred for us, the tribe of Berk, will be the only thing that holds our enemy together. How do the Boggies expect to win when they are doing what their allies would find un-Vikingly?"

Fishlegs frowned, stroking his chin. "That's actually a really good point, Tuff," he muttered. "I don't know. I'll have to think on it."

"Bah!" Snotlout snorted. "We don't need to THINK, dummy. We just need to fly all our dragons in there and blaze away until they're all dead. We killed DOZENS tonight, and that was only with five dragons! Who cares what they're doing with the dragons if we're just going to kill all the Boggies anyway?"

"Maybe – we might not be justified in killing them," Fishlegs said.

"What?" Tuffnut laughed. "What are you saying, Fishlegs? They killed Hiccup. They all deserve to die slow and agonizing deaths."

"I mean this," Fishlegs replied. "This whole training dragon's thing doesn't make sense. What if – they DIDN'T kill Hiccup?"

There was a long silence, and then Astrid spoke.

"Not possible," she said firmly. "I dueled Camicazi tonight, and she told me to my face that she had killed Hiccup."

"She did?!" Tuffnut sat up, his eyes narrowing to slits. "Holy Thor! She ADMITTED IT? I'll – I'll gut her! I'll go and spill her brains out, that blonde haired scheming bitch! She killed Hiccup! She's a cutthroat! A savage! I'll – I'll -" Tuffnut leapt to his feet and demonstrated what he would do to Camicazi. It involved great hacks and punches at thin air.

Fishlegs, ignoring Tuffnut, stared at Astrid.

"Camicazi told you that she killed Hiccup, Astrid?" he asked, disbelievingly.

Astrid nodded, all eyes on her, except for Tuffnut, who was still raging.

"Yes, she did," Astrid said quietly. "She said she cut his throat and – and burned the body. To get rid of - evidence. She didn't say anything about Toothless, though."

Fishlegs frowned. "Are you sure she wasn't just trying to rile you up?" He queried. "That's what she does, that's what they all do. They LIE. Are you sure she wasn't just taunting you?"

Astrid swallowed. "She might have been," she whispered. "But I doubt it. She had – details. Details that - couldn't easily be lied about. She said – that she and Hiccup did -" Astrid blinked back tears.

"She did WHAT with Hiccup?" Ruffnut asked.

"Shut up, Ruff," Heather snapped, seeing Astrid on the verge of tears. "I think I get it." She glanced meaningfully at Fishlegs.

"I see." Fishlegs bit his lip. "OK. Camicazi got Hiccup in bed. I get it." He took a deep breath. "Damn!"

It was the first time Astrid had ever heard Fishlegs curse like that in his life. It got her attention off of what Camicazi had told her and back on the chubby boy. Fishlegs was scowling.

"What is it, Legs?" Heather was curious.

Fishlegs grimaced. "I'm a – a loser, you know. I like doing silly math and calculations and all that. It's not Viking-like, but I have a gift that way. A gift of wanting to know stuff. And I LIKE understanding stuff. But this – I don't understand."

He sighed, leaning back against Meatlug. "It's crazy. All of it. I don't GET it. I need to think."

He closed his eyes and was silent. Heather cleared her throat.

"Hey Legs," she said. "If you're going to space out for a little bit, can we all go to sleep? Or did you want to talk to us about anything else?"

"Nothing that can't wait," Fishlegs muttered. Then his eyes snapped open. "Actually, hold on!" he said. "I have another question, for YOU, Snotlout."

Snotlout looked surprised. "Umm, for me? OK, go ahead." He folded his beefy arms across his chest.

"All right, Snotlout, what in the name of Thor were you doing in the Great Hall on that island?" Fishlegs asked. "I mean, you landed and actually went IN there? Why, for the love of the Gods? It was stupid and dangerous."

Snotlout was taken aback.

"Umm, yeah," he said. "Look, I'm the heir now, and, well, I thought I should go in there to fight Bertha face to face, like a real Viking." He shrugged. "I felt like a loser attacking them in the dark and all that. So I wanted to fight like a Viking. But Bertha wasn't around, only Heather was. So I ran out and got away."

Fishlegs snorted. "You should be lucky Bertha wasn't there. You would have had your head cut off in two seconds."

"No." Tuffnut was grinning. "She would have crushed your skull with her boobs!"

Heather stared. "What, Tuff?"

"No, I'm serious!" Tuffnut said, seeing Heather's look of astonishment. "She's killed grown men with those things."

Heather was still in shock. "No way," she said.

"I regret to inform you that Tuffnut is right," Fishlegs said, chuckling slightly. "And Snotlout, allow me to point out that you were a moron to storm the Great Hall. The chances of you actually killing Bertha in there was like, 3.54 percent."

Snotlout spat. "Oh, bah! I killed three Boggies in there. Snotlout RULES." He flexed his bicep.

"It was just luck, you turdface," Ruffnut muttered.

"OK look, Ruffnut!" Snotlout said, turning ugly. "The first thing I'll do when I'm chief is to make sure you stop that disrespectful crap! The first thing!" Then Snotlout turned and looked at Astrid, grinning. "Well, thesecondthing. First, I need to get some marriage contacts going."

Astrid snarled and reached for her axe in a rage.

"Hey, whoa!" Heather grabbed Astrid and held her down. "Take it easy, Astrid! You're hurt."

"He'll be hurt in a minute!" Astrid screamed. "Who does he think he is, coming and trying to pull a Thor-damned marriage contract with my parents?! I'll carve him open! I'll rip him apart! I'll put Juton Oil in your food, you Snot face! You slimy piece of -"

"Whoa!" Fishlegs got up to help restrain Astrid, who, despite her injury, was struggling to jump across the fire at Snotlout. Together with Heather, Fishlegs eased her back down against Stormfly.

Snotlout laughed. "Oh, what's the matter, Astrid?" he mocked. "Your precious Hiccup ditched you, you know it. That's what Camicazi told you, wasn't it? Hiccup was a loser, he dumped you right in the scrap bin when he saw Cami. I bet she fucked Hiccup, right?"

Astrid roared and sprang up once again. Heather and Fishlegs had to forcibly restrain her from chopping Snotlout to shreds. She yelled and struggled to get loose. However, her side spasmed, and she fell back with a cry of pain, dropping her axe. Snotlout chuckled.

"Not so tough now, are you, babe?"

"HEY!" It was Tuffnut, and he was mad. "Listen, Snotface, you SHUT it! I'm sick of this! Can't you just leave Astrid alone! Can't you see she's upset? For the love of Thor, Snotlout, just stop being a yakshit!"

Snotlout stood up and grabbed Tuffnut by the collar.

"You watch it, you skinny slime," Snotlout hissed. "Or I'll stuff your head right into the ground." The two boys glowered at each other, and Tuffnut reached for his spear.

"NO!" Fishlegs, ignoring Astrid, leapt to his feet. "No." He commanded icily. "This will NOT happen. We are NOT going to do this right now. Squabbling like Terrible Terrors over a meat scrap! WE can't fight among ourselves while we're only a few miles away from the Bog! Come on! Sit down and get a grip on the situation! NOW!"

No one had ever heard Fishlegs snap like that before, and the arguing instantly stopped. Astrid ceased her shouting and shoving, and Tuffnut and Snotlout both sat down sullenly.

"Calm down." Fishlegs was firm. "No more whining, arguing, or implications of marriage, Snotlout!"

Snotlout looked up from his seat, and was about to speak, but changed his mind. But he did turn and look at Astrid, who looked like she was about to cry.

"I can't take this right now," Astrid whispered, her voice trembling with emotion and rage. "Not now!" She got to her feet, wincing with pain, and ran off the edge of the island. There, alone, she flung herself on the ground and cried, tears flowing like rain from her eyes.

Bog Burglar Island, Day 13 since Hiccup's Departure

"Get sand on those fires!"

Camicazi, her face black with sweat and soot, wiped her face and sighed. Blinking wearily, she trudged up the short wooden steps to the Great Hall of the Bog, which was still smoking from a big hole in the roof, made by a dragon. Turning around, she looked grimly at her home village from her vantage point.

The entire island was in shambles. Fires still burned in some places, and weary, seared Bog Burglars were trying to extinguish them, even in their state of exhaustion. Arrows from the chaotic shooting that had occurred littered the area, and damaged bola launchers were everywhere. What was worse, both the forge and the armory had been burned to the ground, cutting their supply of weapons completely off. The raid had been an utter disaster for the Bog Burglars.

Camicazi breathed in and out slowly, trying to regain her mind. Glancing to the eastern side of the village, she recalled that the dragons had not escaped during the course of the attack. That had been pretty much the only thing that went well. The rest had been utterly worthless.

Wincing, Camicazi felt her left side. It was raw and blistered, and her favorite black outfit had been singed and burned. She needed to get it taken care of. Nadder blasts were as hot as smith's forges. That blonde haired Astrid's dragon had gotten her good.

Turning around, she strode into the Great Hall, where her mother and chief of the Bog Burglars, Big Boobied Bertha, was standing, supervising the repairs of the roof. As her daughter entered, she turned and smiled grimly. Camicazi walked over as quickly as she could with the pain in her side.

"Still alive, darling?" Big Boobied Bertha asked, noticing that Camicazi was injured.

Camicazi nodded. "Yeah, mom. Still alive and kicking. Got a good fireball to the side, but other than that I'm still good."

Big Boobied Bertha pointed to a nearby table.

"Let's talk," she said. "I need to discuss several things with you."

Camicazi nodded, and the two female warriors sat down at a wooden table, across from each other.

"So." Big Boobied Bertha said, exhaling. "That raid was rough."

Camicazi nodded, stretching out her legs underneath the table.

"They hamstrung us, Mom," she said. "They broke our back with one single, pathetic raid. Five dragons was all I counted, too. Five! We didn't get a single one. 'Rough' is a severe understatement, I'm afraid."

Bertha sighed. "Right. But we might have done better if they weren't all black dragons. I don't understand. I thought only the Night Fury was black, and all other dragons were of different colors. How, then, were these beasts blending in with the night sky so well tonight?"

Camicazi shook her head. "They were painted, Mom. Painted black with tar, I assume. Freyja, I should have guessed they would think of that. I mean, do you know how hard it was to see those things when they're in the sky?"

Bertha frowned. "That attack was not just invisible," she stated. "It was led by a skillful leader. Who was it? I thought Hiccup was the only smart Viking on the entire island of Berk, and apparently I was wrong. I don't like being wrong. The leader certainly wasn't that young Jorgenson fool, it was a competent strategist. So who was it?"

Camicazi nodded. "It was that fat boy who talked to us last week," she said confidently. "I saw him here today, directing the assault. And no one else would have the brains to pull it off except him, not even that blonde girlfriend of Hiccup's. Fishy-legs, wasn't it? Well, Fishy-legs is a deadly threat to us. I'm a great tactician, Mom, and I was proud of the organization I had out there this evening. But he beat me. I mean, he crushed me. I couldn't do a thing right today, not even kill that blondie. Damn, I almost had her in the dungeons before her cursed dragon showed up and blasted me."

Bertha looked interested. "What on Midgard was that 'Astrid' girl doing in the dungeons?" she asked.

"Looking for Hiccup." Camicazi stated the fact blandly. "They thought we might have captured him. But now their fears have been fully confirmed, now that they saw the prisons were empty. They think we really killed him."

Bertha moaned. "I know," she spluttered, throwing her hands up. "Sweet Freyja, Cami, this is a calamity! It needs to be controlled. Peace! We needed peace! Peace, once and for all, between all the tribes, dragons included. That is all I desired! All I wanted! And then, from the last possible place, Hiccup, the bright young star of Berk, is taken against our will and war is upon us once more. Why! Why are the Gods so cruel to us? We wanted to reconcile with the dragons and live in harmony, and then THIS happened. For once we truly did the RIGHT thing! We were totally honest with the Berkians, but it was pointless. We should have lied and told them that Hiccup had flown off on his own. That would have at least bought us some more time."

Camicazi agreed silently. "Well, at least none of the dragons escaped during the attack tonight," she said. "We still have them to try and train."

"For what purpose, Cami?" Bertha was aggrieved. "We cannot train the beasts. Hiccup never was able to teach us how. And even if we were, then our allies would never fight alongside us when we flew the dragons. As soon as they turn up, we will have to release the beasts or kill them, for our own safety. Keeping them was pointless from the beginning."

"You saw what the dragons did to us today!" Camicazi said. "Let's be honest, Mom, the Berkians stripped us naked tonight. The dragons didn't just beat us, they ROUTED us. We were defenseless against a well-organized dragon attack. Even IF all our allies come, which it doesn't look like they will, we will get beaten. Not even Hysteria can help."

Bertha smiled. "Not so. Have you ever been to Hysteria, Cami?"

"No."

"Then let me tell you this. Hysteria is a VAST tribe, who are far ahead of their times. They have marvelous weapons, intelligent smiths, and fast ships. They are a true fighting army, for they have been at the center of dragon attacks for years. Even so, they were advanced enough to sail for other lands. Apparently, the current chief is Norbert the Nutjob, a fool, but smart for a man. His grandfather sailed for an unknown land which he dubbed 'America' and returned with proof. I do not know the validity of this claim, but my point is that Hysteria has a taste for adventure and WILL come, and when they do, Norbert the Nutjob's arrows will blot out the sun. He has thousands upon thousands of well-trained troops at his disposal. With Hysteria at our side, the Berkians and the dragon riders will fall."

"Are you sure of that, Mom?" Camicazi asked.

Bertha smiled. "You will believe me when they arrive," she said.

"But what if they don't show up in time?" Camicazi asked. "That is a HUGE advantage that the Berkians have over us, they can travel like lightning with their dragons! They could attack again tomorrow, in full force! We would be butchered like animals. The question isn't whether or not our allies WILL arrive, the question is WHEN. Time is crucial here, and we are RAPIDLY running out of it, mom."

Bertha nodded. "We are. But they will come, Cami. They must. However, let us cast those thoughts aside for now. Let us get that burn on your side taken care of."

"Aww, Mom, it's nothing," Camicazi protested.

"Don't give me that runaround, Cami," Bertha said sternly. "You're my daughter; I can tell when you're trying to hide something. You're hurt. Come, let's get it taken care of."

Camicazi knew it was futile to argue with her mother. Swinging her supple legs off the bench, she rose. As she did so, her glance strayed to the thrones which sat on the dais at the end of the great hall.

"Mom!" Camicazi pointed. "What's that in your throne?"

Bertha looked at where Camicazi's finger was pointed, and both of the Bog Burglars froze. Buried in the wood of the large chair was a bloody knife, which was stabbed through a scroll of paper.

"What in the name of -"

Bertha, staring in astonishment, walked up to her throne with Camicazi behind her. Climbing the two steps to the dais, Bertha grabbed the bloody knife and pulled it from the paper and the throne. She held the scroll in her hand.

"What is this, Cami?" she asked.

Camicazi stared. "The Berkians," she said. "They must have left us a little note. What does it say?"

Bertha broke the seal, which was the Berkian crest, and opened the message. Her eyes narrowing to slits, she scanned the message.

"What is it?" Camicazi demanded.

Big Boobied Bertha looked up, a gleam in her eye.

"This may be a decisive point here," she said. She handed the scroll to Camicazi. "Read it out loud to me. I want to make sure I read it correctly. This is just too good to be true."

Camicazi, staring, took the paper from her mother and looked down at it. It was written in ink, not dragon blood, and it was undated and unsigned. And the contents were very interesting. She read aloud;

'To Chief Bertha of the Bog Burglars, and to her daughter and heir Camicazi, I bid thee heartiest greetings.

I sympathize with your predicament in the war we are currently engaged in. As you have no doubt witnessed today, our firepower and skill far exceeds your own. Without proper numbers and guidance you have no chance to win this war. Numbers come to you, but information you lack.

I therefore give you, the current ruler of the Bog, my anonymous services as a spy for your cause. I am well-known and have good connections among the Berkian tribe. In such a position I am privy to plans, official business, and, above all, battle attacks.

In order that you may trust me as a faithful informant, I give you this firsthand knowledge. The next attack from Berk on you island shall be in precisely four days. In ninety-six hours, you can expect to be attacked with the greatest force of dragons ever seen. Be prepared.

And you ask, here, why do I do this for you? Do I desire money, lands, or titles in exchange for this information? My answer, surprising as it may sound, demands nothing of you or your tribe. I only ask that at the first possible opportunity, Chief Stoick the Vast of Berk be killed.

At your service,

The Spy."

Camicazi stopped reading and looked up.

"No WAY," she laughed. "No WAY! Someone is literally giving Berk's plans away! A spy! One of the riders her tonight was a SPY!"

Bertha stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe not," she said. "Maybe the so-called spy is only doing this to fool us, and that attack the writer of that message mentioned is coming at a different time."

"But why?" Camicazi was jubilant. "Surely anyone would guess that we would mistrust this letter, as we do. They need to gain our trust. So I think this is true." She held the paper aloft. "This could be the break we need! If know the Berkian's plans, then we can shut them down!"

Bertha frowned. "Hold on, Cami. If this spy is real, then why does he ask for nothing?"

"He asked that Chief Stoick be killed," Camicazi answered. "That's certainly something."

"So this spy has a reason to want Chief Stoick dead." Bertha was smiling. "I think I know who it is."

"Who would want that to happen?" Camicazi asked. "Who could it be?"

Bertha smiled. "The successor, of course."

High Asgard, Day 13 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup was shaken slowly, and he woke up with a deep sigh. Blinking away his sleep, he stared at the ceiling. He was back in his old room at Asgard. With a sigh, Hiccup turned to look person who had woken him, hoping to see Aiah or Alaedlar. But no. It was Asgeirr.

"Good morning, Riddari," the man said.

Hiccup yawned and sat up, throwing off his blankets. Astrid's Nadder scale, which he had returned to its spot around his neck, clinked on his bare chest, and Hicca, his trusty sword, clinked against his back. Those were the two items that he insisted on wearing all the time.

"Come over here and eat, and then I need to explain something to you." Asgeirr was terse and seemed apprehensive as he himself sat down at the table.

Hiccup obliged, swinging his now-muscled legs off the bed and walking over to where his usual tray of food sat on the table. Asgeirr, as expected, sat across from Hiccup.

Hiccup tore into the meat that was on his tray, leaving no time for grace or manners.

"How do you feel, Riddari?" Asgeirr asked, even as Hiccup wolfed down the food.

His mouth full, Hiccup looked up. "You know what, Asgeirr," he mumbled through the meat, "I don't actually feel too bad."

Asgeirr smiled. "Good. Let's change that."

Hiccup stopped chewing. "What?" he demanded, swallowing.

"I have a little - gift for you," Asgeirr said, with a grin playing around his lips. Reaching down, he picked up a piece of wood about two feet square and placed it so that it faced Hiccup. Then, with a quick jerk of his hand, he knocked the wood away, leaving only a panel of glass – a mirror.

Hiccup saw himself, and his tray clattered to the ground as he jumped to his feet, his food spilling all over the floor. He didn't care. Once more, he was stunned and horrified by what he saw.

He saw himself, but yet not himself. His eyes were still sunken, and, despite his cheerfulness, looked foreboding and bleak. His face was muscled but gaunt. And his teeth were yellowed, his lips cracked. The reflection seemed to leer at him. Hiccup began to gasp for air as his mind became a sea of raging voices. He searched for Astrid, but couldn't find her. He seemed to be fading into a black vacuum, the only thing that remained being the mirror and his reflection. Now this image was definitely fading. Hiccup's shaggy brown hair shortened and grew down to his eyebrows. His eyes narrowed to slits. His lips raised in a snarl, revealing bared, sharp fangs.

He was The Wolf.

Hiccup yelled. With a scream of utter terror, he raised his fist and slammed it into his reflection.

The glass shattered, clattering to the floor and mixing with his food. The darkness in Hiccup's mind faded, and the voices, still clamoring angrily, receded. Hiccup lost his strength, and fell forward, clutching the table with both hands. His right hand, which he had used to punch the mirror, was cut and bleeding, and his chest was heaving. Looking up, he saw Asgeirr, his face solemn. Leaning forward, his trainer grabbed Hiccup's collar, pulling him closer.

"How?" Hiccup whispered, blood trickling down his hand. "How did I see that creature?! I killed The Wolf. I mastered my mind. I WON! How did I see him?"

Asgeirr scowled.

"You beat The Wolf, yes," he answered fiercely. "But that Wolf, as real as he was, was only a representation of what you fear. Your fears, as you saw, are still there in your mind. You mastered them. You smashed the mirror. You passed. But you were not in full control. Your fears, your terrors, they still converge on you from within. The Wolf is gone, but they, The Wolf in their own form, are not. They will always be there. They will never disappear. Remember that. No matter how long you live, no matter how many dangers you face, your fears will ALWAYS torment you. All you can do is slowly work at defeating them, a little each day. But they will never go. Let that be a lesson for you."

Hiccup slumped in his chair.

"No more mirrors, Asgeirr," he whispered hoarsely. "Do you hear!? NO MORE MIRRORS! If you bring one in again, I swear to Odin I will kill you on the spot."

Asgeirr grinned. "It is good to know that you think Alaedlar has been teaching you well. But I say pshaw to your absurd threat. Even with a sword, foolish Riddari, you cannot ever hope to kill me. You know I am a Warlock, right?"

Hiccup gritted his teeth. "A Warlock, are you? That means nothing. You aren't even fully immortal. Can you swing a sword, Asgeirr? Are you a soldier? Can you fight like a man? You seem to think I cannot beat you, but where is your sword? If I drew Hicca now, you would die."

Asgeirr laughed. "Odin does not assign the momentous task of training a Captain to a weak, incompetent fool." He stated, a grin on his face. "If you were to try to kill me, then YOU, not I, would be the first to die. There will be a time when you can BEGIN to DREAM of beating me, but that hour is years in the future. Now, you are as useless as the day you were born."

"Don't call me Useless again." Hiccup was threatening, his bloody hands gripping the table. "The last person to call me that was The Wolf. I killed him for it. You could be next."

Asgeirr laughed again, and as he did so, he grabbed Hiccup's metal cup and threw it, faster than the eye could see. Yelping, Hiccup tried to catch it, but missed. It thudded into his face with a crunch, the milk it had been holding splashing everywhere. Hiccup groaned, cupping his face with his palms. Blood oozed from a cut inflicted by the cup and trickled out his fingers, mixed with the white of milk.

Asgeirr spoke again, his voice harsh as a whip.

"You have grown arrogant and coddled throughout the recent events of your training, my dear Riddari," he snapped. "You got lucky when you killed The Wolf, and your unearned praise and concession with Eir and Alaedlar has boosted your ego past the point of my tolerance. You need to remember, Riddari, that you are nothing but scum. You mean less to me and Odin than a day-old yakshit. Keep that in mind, and also keep in mind that arrogance was the downfall of Loki and Zyon, both good men gone astray." He paused, and Hiccup, wiping the blood off his face, sat down once more, silent. Asgeirr continued.

"However, although you are scum now, and scum you shall be until you pass this training, I have to, in fact, make you happy AGAIN and inform you of recent developments in your course assignments."

Hiccup looked up, using a towel to wipe the blood from his hands and face. This was news.

Asgeirr went on. "Although you do not in any way deserve this allowance, it was decided for reasons above my control that your training be - cut short."

Hiccup's eyes widened. "Wait, it's being shortened?" He gasped, excitement edging into his voice. "Shortened? By how much time? And does this mean I get to see Toothless sooner?"

Asgeirr sighed. "It is being shortened, to an extent. We are eliminating the preparatory training with only the rider, and will soon be shifting to a more compatible education with Toothless. It will take two days to get the Night Fury back from Alfheim, so you will have two more days of Level 1, if you pass the necessary tests. If you do NOT pass them," Asgeirr sneered, "then I will be MORE than happy to restrict your access to Toothless until you do. But, if you pass them, only then," Asgeirr sighed, as if he hated to say it, "You shall be allowed to be reunited with your dragon, in a mere two days' time."

"YYEEEEEEEHHAAAA!" Hiccup leapt to his feet. "YEA YEA YEA! WOOOOHOOO! Ha HA!" He pumped his arms and danced around the room. "Yes! I don't even care what happens for the rest of the day now!"

"Oh, SHUT UP!" Asgeirr snapped. "And listen, you slimy worm that doesn't in any way deserve what he just got. We are ONLY shortening this because Hel is making quick progress in her quest to free the dead onto the realm of Midgard, and you are needed faster. This is NOT being done because you are simply too good for us, Odin forbid the idea! Regardless, today consists of a completely unusual training exercise. First, you shall see Loki, and second, you shall have to prove that you have a brain on your shoulders. This is the first of the qualifying diagnostic tests that we perform on you. I will explain the details when the time comes. But right now, you have three minutes to eat, get garbed in your armor, and go down to the dungeons to see the Father of Lies. And no taunting the damn guards. Step on it!"

Hiccup raised his arm in the Asgardian salute.

"Yes sir," he grinned.

Uninhabited Isle, 2 miles North of Bog Burglar Island, Day 13 since Hiccup's Departure

Astrid's tears had dried on her cheeks. She had spent a good thirty minutes in sheer and utter despair, letting her emotions control her. Not even Stormfly could comfort her, for the dragon was sleeping to recover from the arrow wounds she had received. Astrid had wept alone. Now she was silent, sitting on a fallen log and staring into the early sunrise, watching as the stars faded. Waves lapped on the shore, imposing a calm that Astrid did not feel. Her heart was in turmoil over what she had seen and heard in the last few hours. Camicazi had slept with Hiccup, of this she was certain. Bog Burglars were known for lying, but Cami seemed to know stuff. Had Hiccup's last act been an abandonment of his love to her? His last act before he died?

Soft footsteps came from behind her, and Astrid whirled. She winced as her aching side protested the movement.

It was Heather.

"Hi, Astrid," Heather said quietly, slipping over the log and sitting next to Astrid. She slid her arm over Astrid's shoulders and squeezed gently. "How do you feel?"

"Heartbroken," Astrid replied softly. "Utterly devastated. I can't even begin to talk about what I'm feeling, both in mind and body. The damn arrow, the whole thing with Hiccup, I -"

"Hiccup – it must have been hard," Heather said comfortingly. "He was the best. I'll never forget what he did for me and my family. Such a great guy. It's – too bad."

Astrid blinked back tears. "If you came here to try and cheer me up," she said sadly, "then you're doing a really bad job."

"I'm sorry." Heather was apologetic. "Let me try to talk to you about something else. Come on, ask me a question and I'll try to help out."

Astrid looked at Heather, her blue eyes still wet.

"Tell me aboutyou, Heather."

"Me?" Heather was surprised.

"Yeah, you," Astrid said. "Who are you, Heather? I saw you today. You weren't the same devious, tricky girl back when we gave you a hand. You're a soldier. You're a fighter. A damn good one. Utterly ruthless. You've killed before. Many times. I could tell. Where did all that experience come from in just a year, after we last saw you?"

"Well," Heather smiled. "I wouldn't say I'm utterly ruthless. But I do know war. After my parents went through all that mess with the Outcasts, I swore that would never happen again. I met a guy, and he trained me to fight like a cat. He took me to war-ridden islands as a mercenary. Naturally, I got experienced."

Astrid's eyebrows went up, and her sadness vanished to form curiosity.

"A mercenary?" She asked, impressed.

"Aye." Heather was embarrassed. "I got paid for my work, but not much. Enough to live on for a year, and after that I quit. It was too much work and not enough play. I was a good fighter, and that's all I had wanted to begin with. I came back to help my family out on my island, and then that silly note came for Hiccup. Now here I am," Heather gestured to the water, "Out fighting again. Luckily I have my trusty weapons with me."

Astrid nodded. "That sword you have, Heather. I've never seen any blade like it. It was well made, I could see that. Can I look at it?"

Heather seemed about to refuse for a minute, but then relaxed.

"Sure," she said. "But do NOT damage it. That sword means a lot to me."

Reaching to her waist, she slid the sword from its black sheath with a quiet ring, and handed it to Astrid. Astrid took it, marveling.

The sword was a beauty. Its handle was pure black except for a blue and gold stone set in the pommel. The crossgaurd was silver, and it had an intricate pattern etched on it, in a style that surpassed even Hiccup's skill as a smith. Then there was the blade. It was thin, sleek, and strong, beautiful and yet menacing. It was sharper than anything Astrid had ever touched.

"Where did this come from?" Astrid was astounded.

Heather chuckled quietly. "Would you believe me if I told you I simply found it?"

Astrid stared. "Are you serious?"

Heather nodded. "It was actually right after I got back from my first trip to Berk. It was really strange. I was walking up in the mountains, and it was snowing, not hard, mind you, but that beautiful snow that makes you laugh and throw balls and have fun. Anyway, in the middle of this snowy landscape there were two flowers growing in the hill. They were WAY out of place, and the snow wouldn't stick to them. I walked up, and they were the strangest flowers I had ever seen. One had black petals, and a green center. The other was blue with a gold center. They each grew on either side of this sword, which was embedded in the snow."

Astrid was listening with rapt attention. The story amazed her. Heather, smiling, continued.

"I couldn't resist. It was just lying there, and the snow seemed unable to touch either the flowers or the sword. The snow had just stopped anyway. So I picked up the weapon. It was SO perfect. The weight was exact, the length superb. The handle felt like it was made for me. I laughed in the snow, just holding this, and I was so excited."

She paused.

"Then I looked down," Heather said. "I saw something strange happening with the flowers. I seemed to have cut the blue one as I drew the sword from the ground. It instantly withered and died. Then, almost immediately after, the black flower also died. So suddenly. It was as if the sword had given them life, and when I drew it out, it took that life away."

Heather stopped again and looked thoughtful.

"I always thought that that instance had some kind of meaning," she said. "But I talked to two village elders about it, and they interpreted it in two ways, both interesting. The first was that perhaps the sword was there as a defense for the flowers. When it was removed, the flowers had to die, for they were unarmed. The moral was never to leave yourself unsafe. To keep a sword handy, for if you do not, you shall perish."

Heather paused. "And the second," she said, "was that the sword was there not to kill, but to maintain peace. When I drew it, it symbolized the start of a war. When war begins, all fades, and death follows. So the flowers died. So," Heather smiled, "That is how I came by that sword, and it means a lot to me. So does the mystery with the flowers."

Astrid had been listening with undivided attention. When Heather finished, she blinked and nodded.

"It was a good story," she said. "I liked it." Then Astrid pointed to runes that were carved on the blade. "What do these say? It's not our language."

"Ahh, the runes," Heather smiled. "Those were an even bigger mystery than the flowers. I asked about them, and learned that the runes on one side are written in Old Norse, the ancient language of the Gods. The other side is in a language that no one knows, but I think it says the same thing as the first side, which I was able to have translated. It has a name on it, perhaps the original owner of the sword."

"What does it say?" Astrid asked.

"It reads, 'Captain K-A-L-D-R,'" Heather replied.

"Kaldr," Astrid said. "If that's a name, it sure is an odd one."

"It is," Heather said. "I was never able to find anyone with that name. I looked for quite a while. It's never been used, ever."

"The sword's so sharp," Astrid marveled, running her finger down the edge of the blade. "How do you ever get it to be like that, Heather? What kind of hone?"

"Well, I don't use any sharpening tool," Heather answered. "In fact, I've never needed to sharpen that blade. No matter what I do to it, it can't dull."

"No way." Astrid was disbelieving.

"It's a type of metal I've never seen before," Heather answered. "No smith around here knows what it's called. It's similar to Gronkle Iron, I think, but that's just my opinion. Everyone I showed it to wanted it and even offered to pay SO much for it. I never let them. Regardless, it never dulls."

"I don't blame you for not selling it, then," Astrid said, impressed. "That sword is gifted."

Heather grinned. "Yeah. Anyway, I actually wanted to talk to you. Look, now that I'm going to be fighting with your tribe, I need to fit in. I need – a dragon of my own."

Astrid raised an eyebrow.

"Sure," she said. "I'm sure Chief Stoick wouldn't mind you getting a Berkian dragon, especially after your performance in the battle today – or was it yesterday, now? Doesn't matter, you kicked ass. You're a wildcat, Heather."

Heather looked down, embarrassed.

"Oh, it was nothing," she chuckled. "A year of being a mercenary will do that for you."

"I bet," Astrid grinned. "But you want a dragon, huh? Come on, you already know how to train a dragon, right? Just get its trust, you know, like what you did with Stormfly all that time ago. Use chicken." Astrid managed a laugh.

Heather laughed with her. "Right. That was a good one. Do you still feed her that?"

"Sometimes." Astrid grew sober again. "And speaking of Stormfly, I need to go look at her. We pulled all the arrows that hit her, and they weren't very serious, but I should go check them out anyway. She's asleep back at camp."

Astrid started to rise, but Heather grabbed her shoulder and held her down.

"No, Astrid." She was firm. "You stay here and rest up. Don't even go back and be around that clown Snotlout. You'll kill him someday. I'll go look at Stormfly for you, OK?"

Astrid bit her lip and nodded. "Fine. Just do a good job, all right?"

"I always do," Heather answered. With a final pat of Astrid's shoulder, she rose and headed back through the trees to the camp. Astrid, left lone once more, sighed. However, Heather had cheered her up a little bit.

Footsteps sounded behind Astrid, and she grunted. "Yea, Heather, what else?"

"Nope."

A voice came, and Astrid whirled to see who it was. She was half-expecting the visitor to be Snotlout, coming to rub something in her face, but it wasn't. It was Tuffnut.

"Nope," Tuffnut repeated, walking up to the log. "Not Heather. I'm not that attractive. Wish I was, but I'm not."

He vaulted the log and sat down next to Astrid. Astrid gazed at him with annoyed interest. His old war paint was still smeared on his face, and he had an uncleaned cut on his forehead that was covered in dried blood.

"What are you doing here, Tuff?" Astrid asked.

"Well, I guess you could call it getting away from a crazy sister," Tuffnut grinned. He adjusted his helmet and leaned back. "And here's usually the part where I ask you whatyou'redoing, but that's – off the table."

"Yeah, THANK you for bringing that up, Tuff," Astrid growled.

Tuffnut looked stricken. "Hey, I didn't mean to make you think about it again, Astrid," he apologized. "I thought maybe I could come and see if I could make you feel – better – oh, geez, I just made a fool of myself, as usual. I'll just go. See you, Astrid."

He started to get up.

"Hey, wait, Tuff," Astrid sighed.

Tuffnut froze. "Umm, OK, yeah. Sure."

He sat back down again and looked at Astrid with expectant curiosity.

"Umm, actually," Astrid said, "I kinda wanted to say thank you for standing up for me back at the camp. With Snotlout, you know. How you took my side. I – appreciated that."

"Oh, it was a pleasure to cuss out that jerk," Tuffnut growled. "Seriously, I don't know what's gotten into him. He was an OK guy – well, not OK, but at least BEARABLE before Hiccup hit the Valhalla trail. Now that Hiccup's gone, Snotlout's turned into an ugly yakshit. But seriously, it was nothing, standing up for you, Astrid. I just – I was trying to do what Hiccup would have done."

Astrid, flinching at the mention of Hiccup, was still surprised enough not to cry again.

"Do what Hiccup would have done?" She asked.

Tuffnut looked sheepish. "Well, yeah, I guess," he muttered. "Hiccup was a real badass, you know, and now that he's gone, I figured maybe I could be a badass in his place. But of course, I'm just me. Tuffnut Thorston, master of chaos, the chicken destroyer. How could I ever match Hiccup in awesomeness? So yeah. But I do try, believe me."

"Is that why you came out here to try to cheer me up?" Astrid demanded. "Because you're trying to be like Hiccup?"

Tuffnut grinned. "Well, yeah, I guess you could say so," he said. His smile was big. "But if I was REALLY going to be like Hiccup, I would be making out with you right now."

"Hey!" Astrid punched Tuffnut's helmet. He yelped and tried to keep himself from falling off the log. He failed, and crashed to the ground. Astrid chuckled but then winced as her wound pained her at the movement.

"That was – violent, Astrid," Tuffnut grumbled, rubbing his head. "Geez, it's not like I was actually going to kiss you. Give a fellow a break." He clambered back on the log, looking at Astrid. His face grew sober as he saw the look of agony on her face.

"Hey, are you hurt?" He asked.

"Only – in here," Astrid gasped, patting her chest.

Tuffnut was still for a minute, and then adjusted his helmet, brushing off dirt from his clothing. He looked up.

"Look, 'Strid," he said. "I understand, Hiccup's dead and all, but you're sad about what Cami told you, right?" Tuffnut laughed. "Come on, 'Strid. You don't think for one second that Camicazi fucked Hiccup, do you?"

Astrid turned her head and looked at Tuffnut.

"What?"

Tuffnut laughed. "Hiccup NEVER would have fallen for her. I know. Here, let me tell you a story. Do you remember when Hiccup went to the Meathead Island to teach them about dragons?"

"Yeah." Astrid was quizzical. "I do. You went with him, right?"

"That's right," Tuffnut grinned. "The only reason it was allowed was so that I would be out of the village for a few weeks. Anyway, while we were there, Hiccup and I, we were getting a feast held in our honor, and this smoking hot girl comes up to Hiccup and flat-out kisses him, right there in front of everyone. She wanted him, bad. Hiccup could have walked off upstairs with her easy. But you know what? He told her to stuff it."

"He did?" Astrid was smiling.

"You bet he did," Tuffnut asserted. "Hiccup told her, 'I've got a girl back home that makes you look like a pig. Get away from me.'"

Astrid smiled, and Tuffnut, still grinning, rubbed his chin.

"I'm not lying, Astrid. Hiccup told me to keep it a secret, he didn't want it to get out. I promised, because he said he would sick Toothless on me if I didn't. But what's the harm now. Toothless is a monster, but he can't get to me from Valhalla."

Astrid blinked back tears again. "So Hiccup would never have fallen for Camicazi, you say."

"No way. I saw her tonight. That blonde from the Meatheads was WAY prettier than she was." Tuffnut chuckled. "A lot prettier. And I should know. That blonde just wanted a hero. When Hiccup shut her down, she walked over to me. And yeah." Tuffnut grinned.

Astrid shook her head. "Wow. OK. Thanks, Tuff. You actually made me feel better. I never would have believed you could."

"No problemo." Tuffnut got off the log and gave a mock salute. "Hope you kill Snotlout, though, or I'll have to do it."

Astrid twisted her lip upward in a grin.

"You may get your wish, Tuff."

Low Asgard, Day 13 since Hiccup's Departure

"Welcome back, Vaskar."

Hiccup, twisting around, closed the door of Loki's prison cell and faced the God. He was as regal and stately as before, yet still with golden bands of energy wrapped around his wrists and other limbs.

"That's right," Hiccup grinned. "You named me Vaskar. I forgot."

"Don't forget." Loki was serious. "Forgetting is the business of a fool. A strong, intelligent mind imbibes information and holds on to it, treasures it. Forgetting things is for useless morons."

"Well, thank you, Loki," Hiccup grinned, striding over to the table where Loki sat, upright in his chair. "You inspire me daily with your great encouragement."

"Your sarcasm is overused," Loki answered, returning Hiccup's grin and extending his hand. "It is good to have you back, Vaskar."

Hiccup did not hesitate this time, but gripped Loki's hand firmly. God and man shook, and then Loki gestured to a table, which was new. On it rested a few books and a cup of tea. Loki gestured to the chair across from the one which he had risen from.

"Sit, Vaskar," He invited.

Hiccup sat, feeling the comfort of the red velvet seat of the chair. Hicca pressed against his backbone. Loki, a smile still on his face, leaned back.

"You are in a pleasant mood today, Vaskar," Loki commented. "Despite your injured hand and bruised face, you are remarkably cheerful. I must be allowed to ask why."

"Well, that's to be expected," Hiccup grinned. "But in answer, I was told today that Level 1 of the training is to be cut short; drastically. Basically what it means is I get to see Toothless soon."

"Ahh." Loki nodded. "I was aware that the training was being abbreviated; Asgeirr saw fit to inform me of that, but I was unaware that you would be reunited with Toothless so soon. I am pleased for you. The bond between rider and dragon was something I always envied. A treasure, I call it, that only very few can possess."

"Yeah, I guess." Hiccup plowed a hand through his hair. "But I am counting my chickens a little soon. I first have to pass a few so-called tests before I can see Bud again. From what Asgeirr said, they will be difficult."

Loki snorted. "And since when did you take what Asgeirr told you with face value?"

The two men both shared a laugh, and then Loki went on.

"Alas, Asgeirr and the truth are actually quite compatible, when he is not training someone. He is doing his job as your primary educator, which means being a heartless bastard, which in reality, he is not. Once you get to know him as something other than a ruthless, savage teacher, then you shall begin to appreciate his true character, I think. But come, it is time to practice with me. It is time to lie."

"Wait," Hiccup said. "I'm a little confused about something."

Loki cocked his head to one side.

"Yes?"

"Well, I'm being tested today," Hiccup told him. "In intelligence. That's pretty much it, I think, except for this training, with you. Why do skills like sword fighting and hand-to-hand combat get discarded while lying and voice manipulation, your training, remain?"

"Ah," Loki answered. "A good question. To answer briefly, I would say that it is because I insisted that it not be put aside, that it must be practiced daily without fail. It is a true fact, and Asgeirr knows it. The other skills are slightly different than this. They can wait until you pass Level 1. This cannot, or else," Loki grinned, "You might FORGET."

Hiccup and Loki laughed again.

"So," Hiccup said. "Here's a deal. If I learn to lie early today, will you fulfil your promise from yesterday and tell me about Zyon? And actually, I'd like to know about Kaldr, too."

"Deal," Loki smiled. "Maybe you didn't forget EVERYTHING about yesterday after all."

"OK," Hiccup chuckled. "So let's get to lying practice. First, though, were you aware that I often forget stuff? Like how I had five girlfriends back on Midgard, and kissed each one?"

Loki laughed. "No. I wasn't aware of that at all, Vaskar. Five is pretty impressive. Still about 38 behind Thor, but still, not bad. If you…"

Loki trailed off, staring at Hiccup. Hiccup was sitting with a smug grin on his face.

"No." Loki said, disbelievingly. "Did you just lie to me, Vaskar?"

Hiccup's grin got wider. "Yes, Father of Lies, I did. I only had one girlfriend. So yes, I lied. And you didn't notice."

Loki clapped his hands, slowly, three times.

"Congratulations, Vaskar," he laughed. "You are a true liar at heart. Well done, my boy, well done. Perfect form. You lied casually and with no emotion whatever, in your face, tone, or actions. They eyes still lied, of course, they always do, but that was absolutely perfect. You have earned the right to hear tales already."

"Oh yeah. So tell me about Zyon." Hiccup was grinning. "And also his dragon, Krelvin."

"Very well." Loki leaned back. "We have time. I will begin at the beginning – his birth."

Hiccup, smiling, leaned back to listen. Loki continued.

"Zyon was born exactly 342 years ago, on the world of Asgard. At this time, our kingdom was torn with war, and terror, blood, and chaos were rampant. These were the days when my relationship with my father was deteriorating. Anyway, as a result of the violence and bloodshed, Zyon never met his father. His father was a leader of Asgard, a general. He was killed – tortured to death, I believe. His mother, then pregnant with Zyon, fell into mourning. She refused to leave her home, and that was a poor decision, for her home was near the war zone. As she gave birth to Zyon a few months later, raiders struck the house and killed her, as Zyon was born. The small boy never should have lived, but at the very moment that they were about to crush Zyon's skull, an Aesir force, led by my brother Thor, arrived. They saved the child, and was said that Thor himself lifted the crying child from the ruined house. Zyon was brought to Asgard, and there it was seen that he was gifted with a balance between life and death, since his mother, a wicked woman, had gone to Helheim.

"Zyon spent his first twenty years alone, being taught, and fighting in the wars. Then he met his future dragon, Krelvin. Krelvin was the second Asgardian Alpha dragon. The first was killed long ago. Zyon and Krelvin bonded at once, bringing joy to Asgard, who had grown hopeful in the progression of the horrific war, which I was then being pressed to join, as a rebel. It was decided that Asgeirr, the last Warlock, should train Zyon. Odin offered Asgeirr a deal, which was harsh but its reward was unspeakable. Yes, Vaskar?"

Hiccup had opened his mouth to speak, and now he did.

"What was the reward, Father of Lies?" he asked.

Loki smiled thinly. "I suppose there is no harm in telling you. Asgeirr was given the contract of training three riders for whatever purpose, whenever Odin commanded it. After Asgeirr had successfully trained all three, he would be granted, by the Asgardian Council, a FULL immortal life, and, most importantly, godlike powers, giving him status as a God."

"Wow." Hiccup breathed. "And I am the third rider Asgeirr has trained, right? So after he trains me, supposing he does it successfully, he will become a GOD?"

"That is correct," Loki grinned. "A God he will become, unless he should perish before he can do so."

"How could Asgeirr die?" Hiccup demanded. "He's a Warlock, they live for a thousand years. He's only five hundred or something. How could Asgeirr die before I pass, or fail?"

Loki opened his mouth and closed it again.

"THAT I cannot tell you, Vaskar," he replied. "But I will say that the training is almost as dangerous for Asgeirr as it is for you. He has to do it perfectly. In fact, if he does his task TOO well, then he will certainly die."

"Wait, what?" Hiccup asked, staring. "How does that make sense?! If he trains me TOO well, he DIES? What in the name of the Gods does that mean? That's not fair."

"Fairness is hosh-posh," Loki grinned. "And the answer to your question is too revealing. Skip it."

"Oh, come on, Father of Lies," Hiccup muttered. "I will be itching to know why for the rest of my time here."

"It is good to see you like gaining knowledge," Loki commented with a smile. "But I will not tell you. It would give you information that you could use to cheat, essentially, on your tests."

"Fine." Hiccup gestured with his hand. "Keep on going. About Zyon, I mean. We're WAY off topic now."

"Right." Loki reached over to the side of the table and sipped some tea, which was held in a cup he had. He put it down with a dull thud. "To go on, Zyon and his Skrill Krelvin were trained just as you are now. Like your training, it was done by the best of the best, such as Asgeirr, myself, and others."

"Were Alaedlar and Vulcan around then?" Hiccup asked curiously. "I don't really know how old they are."

Loki hesitated.

"Yes," he said slowly. "You could say so, yes. They were around."

"Ambiguous answer, Loki," Hiccup grinned.

"And it shall stay that way," Loki said. "Irrelevant, anyway. So, for the first year, as was scheduled for you, Zyon was trained by Asgeirr, and Krelvin was trained separately by the Giant Riders."

"Who are the Giant Riders?" Hiccup interrupted.

"Ahh, the Giant Riders," Loki smiled. "There were two of them, and two only. They were masters of the dragon arts and fighting skill, and especially other trades like poison-making. I know from experience. While I was fighting Odin I asked for some new kind of toxic substance, and offered a handsome price. The Giant Riders accepted. Three bottles of so-called Jotun Oil they made, a horrific, deadly poison that causes almost instant death with mere contact of the skin. I used up two of them in the Asgardian war, but Zyon had the third and it disappeared when he fled to Midgard. It was called Juton oil because the Giant Riders were from Jotunheim, the land of Giants. The riders themselves were Giants, and their dragons were a size to match their riders. By the Gods, it was a majestic sight to see them thundering through the sky. The air would literally SHAKE, they were so enormous."

"You speak of them in the past tense," Hiccup observed. "Are they dead?"

"Yes, Vaskar, they are," Loki stated. "Killed by the elf Kaldr, in fact. But that is Kaldr's story, which I will tell you tomorrow, should you perform well."

"Fine. Go on, please," Hiccup said.

"So Zyon got trained. Well. Very well. Asgeirr was a gifted teacher. In the scheduled three years, Zyon and Krelvin emerged as a beacon of hope for Asgard. The war was thought to be already won by the Aesir. Zyon's final test was the glorious finish, and Odin was so proud. Little did he know," Loki chuckled evilly, "That I had already showed him the true path. Zyon, as he received the blessings of the five Council Gods, drew his sword. In a SINGLE swipe he beheaded five of the smartest and wisest Gods on the realm. I was there. I saw it. What a shock it was. Before their heads even clattered to the ground, Zyon threw Asgeirr's spear at Odin. It would have impaled him if it was not for that blasted girl, the little seer. It was cursed, but brave nonetheless. That small girl threw herself in front of the spear. She was gored right through, from her hip to her shoulder. But she stopped the spear and saved Odin's life."

"Little Aiah!" Hiccup was stunned. "She saved the ALLFATHER!?"

"Alas, she did," Loki replied with regret in his tone. "And she was saved as well. She was dying, of course, but Eir brought her back on Odin's demand. A brave little wench she was. However, Eir had not mustered her full powers at the moment; usually she needs days to prepare for a full healing like she gave you and Toothless. She had a few minutes with 'Aiah' as you call her. So the little girl still has a massive scar from the encounter."

"Wow." Hiccup breathed. "Aiah's even more awesome than I thought. But what about the spear? You said it was Asgeirr's spear that Zyon threw. What on earth was Zyon doing with Asgeirr's spear?"

"Well, it was stuck in Zyon's shield," Loki replied.

"And why was THAT?" Hiccup was shocked. "Asgeirr was fighting Zyon? How the hell did that spear get there?"

Loki waved it off. "It's a long story, Vaskar, and I will not tell you. Anyway, Zyon was SO close to killing Odin. He hates your 'Aiah' for saving the Allfather."

"Aiah's brave," Hiccup said admiringly.

"Brave, yes," Loki snorted. "But curse her, she SAVED Odin! Nothing would have given me more pleasure than to see that crabbed old geezer DIE, skewered by the spear of one of his own subjects."

Hiccup stiffened. "He's your father," he reproved.

"He certainly didn't act like it," Loki spat. "Odin didn't treat me like a son. He treated me like dirt. WORSE than dirt."

Hiccup shook his head. "I do not know what happened between you," he said. "But I am too interested in Zyon to argue the point with you now. Go on, please."

"Yes." Loki took a deep breath and went on. "So, after that wonderful treachery, Zyon came to me, a real God, and we fought with the rebellion, leading it on. Zyon won many battles with me. Great victories. I was the brains and he, with Krelvin, was the brawn. Death and destruction followed him wherever he went. Utterly ruthless was he. And we were so close to achieving our goal – the overthrow of Asgard. We were camped right outside the gates, ready to strike. We was SO close. And then the earthquake, more powerful that any ever seen, destroyed my army. I was captured and my army was eradicated, but Zyon and Krelvin escaped. Now they fight for Hel, wreaking havoc and death across Midgard. But if I were ever to escape this cell and call for them, they would fight for me again, I know it. We have mutual respect for one another. Anyway, that is Zyon's story – the story of a ruthless killer with a dragon to match."

"You speak of Zyon as if you admire him," Hiccup frowned.

Loki shrugged.

"I do. I do admire him. He rides an awesome dragon and, while he is not very smart, has a strong arm and a strong will."

"But he's a traitor, a selfish, bloodthirsty, rotten piece of scum." Hiccup was sneering.

"What makes you say that?"

"He is a master of duplicity," Hiccup shook his head. "And he's a cutthroat. He was tricking the Gods and betrayed them, and killed innocents."

Loki grinned. "He killed worthless lives."

"For crying out loud, Loki, the lives were NOT worthless!" Hiccup exploded, hitting the table with his palm. "How can you NOT understand that?!"

"Because it does not make sense," Loki answered calmly, spreading his hands. "Some lives are worth more than others. In fact, I meant to show you what I mean by that. Come, let us play the Godly game of Chess."

"Chess? What is Chess?" Hiccup asked, his frustration vanishing to curiosity.

"On Midgard I believe you call this game King's Table*" Loki answered. He reached beneath the table and pulled out a board. "It is named Chess up here in Asgard, but it is essentially the same game. This is the board. Have you played King's Table before, Vaskar?"

"Yeah, I played it every week with Fishlegs, a friend of mine back on Berk," Hiccup answered, becoming immediately fascinated. "Fishlegs always won, but I'm the only one who could come close to his brains, so we played often, every weekend. Good games. It was fun."

"And how would you describe King's Table?" Loki questioned. He began to set up the pieces on the board, each one in its square. "What is the purpose of the contest?"

"It is a game of strategy," Hiccup replied. "The smarter person wins the game."

"Then is it safe to say that when two war Captains play Chess, the winner is the better Captain?" Loki queried.

Hiccup shrugged. "Not necessarily. Real war is slightly different than a simple game, where each piece is predictable and controllable," he argued. "In real combat, each man in the army has their own feelings, their own motives, and can be united by force of will. Some of the best leaders are not smart – instead, they are more like your brother Thor, who rallies the troops by inspiring them. Encouraging each man to fight for the LIFE which he has."

"Aha." Loki grinned. "There you harp on the value of life again. Whatever. However, I see your point, Vaskar. I'll rephrase. Chess determines who thesmarterperson is. Correct?"

"I suppose," Hiccup admitted.

"Then I draw on that." Loki smiled, and arranged the last few pieces on the board. "We shall see if your mind can match that of mine. Who is smarter, the 'evil' God or the rising hero? Let us compete in a game of intelligence. You versus me."

Hiccup looked up. "God versus man," he grinned. "Loki, the master of strategy, intelligence, and trickery has challenged me to a game of King's Table. What an honor." Hiccup grinned. "And I accept."

Loki smiled. "Very well, Vaskar. But before we begin, I want you to look at the board. Look at each piece on the board. What do you have to fight with?"

Hiccup looked at the pieces.

"I have my Pawns," he said. "I have my Watchmen. I have my Seers. I have my Soldiers. I have my Chief, and I have my Chieftess."

Loki grinned. "Is that what you say on Midgard? Up here we call them Pawns, Rooks, Knights, Bishops, and King and Queen. But it matters not. However, this is important."

"Yes?" Hiccup asked.

"I want to look at each of these pieces not as tools, but as REAL soldiers in a REAL battle, each with varying talents and abilities related to their status." Loki said. "Think of these pieces as real men, real soldiers, and you are the commander. Act accordingly, and treat this not as a game, but a genuine war."

Hiccup nodded slowly. "I can do that."

"Then let us begin." Loki's eyes narrowed and looked down at the board. "As the challenger, I go first. The battle begins."

And he opened the game by moving a Pawn into a position where he could extract his Bishop from the rear.

Hiccup carefully countered the move, swinging a Knight from this own back row into an attacking position to the right. Loki, after a moment's thought, moved another Pawn and created a wall from which he could strike at Hiccup's Knight with one of his Bishops. Seeing Loki's process, Hiccup moved a Pawn from the corner to support his Knight, at the same time allowing one of his Rooks to be free and establishing a second attack line.

The game began in earnest now. Hiccup was hugely thankful that he had played Fishlegs often, for it was clear that Loki was incredibly intelligent. Pieces were traded, minds ravished for ideas, and the two pairs of green eyes hovered over the checkered board, oblivious to all else as the game progressed. No words were spoken, and the only sounds were the scraping of pieces on the board and the tap-tap of Loki's fingers as he thought. For fifteen long minutes the pieces danced across the board in a raging battle.

Then Hiccup began to see Loki's final strategy, his last attack. The black-haired God had slyly moved three Pawns into an aggressive triangle, in which he placed both his Bishops, which were still alive. It was an impenetrable defense without a loss, and Hiccup realized he needed to destroy it to save his King. So his slid a Pawn over to the formation, in a place where the Pawn would have to be taken, but the formation would be broken in the process.

"Stop!" Loki commanded. Hiccup froze, looking up at the God. There had been no words spoke for a quarter of an hour, and to hear Loki abruptly halt the flow of the game surprised him. He stared at the God. Loki's eyes were glinting with interest.

"What is it, Loki?" Hiccup demanded, straightening his back.

"Why did you do that?" Loki asked. He pointed at the board. "Why did you move that Pawn just now?"

"Because your formation had to be destroyed," Hiccup answered, as if the question was obvious.

"But that Pawn will get massacred," Loki commented. "You sent that Pawn to get killed. Remember, those were REAL men you sent in there. You just sent them all to die. They were alive, they had all-precious LIVES, and you killed them. Why?"

Hiccup hesitated. "I needed to," he said slowly. "The enemy had to be stopped, and as the commander I have to sacrifice the lives of some of my men."

"But look here." Loki pointed to one of Hiccup's knights, which was in a position where it could have broken Loki's wall also. "You could have sent this Knight to break the defense. But no. You sent a Pawn. Why?"

"Because – the loss of a Pawn is less than the loss of a Knight," Hiccup said slowly.

"So you value the lives of some people over others?" Loki asked.

Hiccup opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again. But he said nothing. Loki smiled.

"Some lives are above others, just like the Knight is above the Pawn. Pawns are exactly what they are – Knights are soldiers. One is far better than the other. You must learn that life is exactly the same. What is life worth to the ones who control it? The lives of those soldiers are in YOUR hands. You must make the decision which life is worth more than the other, for indeed, some are better than others, like Gods and mere men."

"It – I killed the Pawn because it was for - the good," Hiccup stammered.

"You sent innocent men to get slaughtered!" Loki barked. "You called this vile and evil when I killed innocents. But is it evil? Life must be valued, Hiccup, it's worth analyzed, and you must ACT accordingly! You did so, just now. You measured the value of life and executed. I applaud you. Now you must understand WHY."

Hiccup was still staring at the Chess board. Loki rose.

"It was a pleasure teaching you today, Vaskar," he said. "That is all. I will see you again tomorrow."

Hiccup rose from his seat, still mute. Without a final look at Loki, he turned and left, the game unfinished and Hicca clanging against his back.

The door closed, and Hiccup's footsteps faded in the dungeons. Loki, the Father of Lies, sat down at the table and looked at the Chess board with a smile. He took a sip of his tea, which was now cold. Then he put the cup down and stared at the board, and each piece, for a long time. Then, with a smooth, slow movement, he reached for one of his Bishops.

With a quick slide, he passed the Bishop through the hole Hiccup had left by moving his Pawn, and positioned the Bishop in a square. It was now pointed at Hiccup's King.

"Checkmate." Loki whispered.

And he knocked over Hiccup's King.


	22. hiccup is gone

Chapter 22: Hiccup is Gone

South Archipelago Seas, Day 13 Since Hiccup's Departure

Drago Bludvist was not a man who got scared of things. In fact, circumstances were quite the opposite. Anyone who laid eyes on HIM usually got scared, and Drago Bludvist was proud of this fact. He was also proud that no one had ever been able to make him feel fear in his entire life.

That is: until now.

"You misunderstand me, Lord Bludvist," the cold voice stated. "This was not a request. This was a command."

Drago looked down at the source of his terror. It was a mere man, but then again, not so. This being was clad in a suit of spiked brown armor, a style of which he had never seen before in all his years of battle. A black cross was etched on the brown, ugly breastplate. Despite his formidable and distasteful look, this being should not have been able to scare Drago.

But indeed, Drago was scared of him. Drago settled himself with the unpleasant fact that he was terrified of this man: this man who called himself Lord Zyon. It did not help that Zyon had soared into his camp of ships on the back of a massive Skrill, which was now outside terrorizing his men.

"Lord Zyon," Drago scowled, biting back his fear. "I am not accustomed to rogue dragon riders storming my camp and giving me, the commander of an Alpha Bewilderbeast, orders that supposedly come from some demonic she-God of the Dark. In fact, I believe I will cut off your head. Your Skrill, however, I may have a use for. You will forgive me if I refuse to accept your offer."

"I would not forgive you." Zyon's voice was as harsh as his mask. The menacing brown cover passed over his face, shielding what was behind it. Drago suspected he did not care to see what was behind the mask. Zyon continued in his harsh, grating tone.

"Trust me, Lord Bludvist, your cooperation is not required for me to complete my task. My talents are far beyond any you could possibly imagine. I could have your head on a pike in two seconds."

"You lie." Drago was gritting his teeth.

"Hog shit. You know that it is true. For Hel's sake, you're trembling. Try not to piss in your breeches."

Zyon took a menacing step forward. The two guards by Drago's throne stepped to block the brown-clad rider. It was the last thing they ever did. A flash of metal whizzed through the air, and blood spurted. Two severed heads crashed to the floor, and Drago leapt to his feet to call for help. But in two quick bounds, Zyon jumped up to the throne and seized Drago's neck, his brown-white sword dripping with the two guard's blood. Drago's shout gurgled in his throat as Zyon's iron glove tightened on his neck.

"My God, but you are a slime," Zyon hissed. "For a rusty dagger I'd break your pathetic neck. If I was acting on my own, I would. But my I am required to get you. I was ordered by the Queen to rule all Queens, the Goddess Hel, who believe me, is VERY real, to recruit you for her cause. However, I would prefer to discuss the terms of Hel's agreement in a slightly better manner than what I am doing now. Would you agree?"

Drago, whose face was turning purple, managed a nod. His neck was being held so tightly he thought his blood vessels would burst.

"Very good." Zyon released his hold on Drago. "This is a complicated matter, and while I gather that your trust and cooperation with me is somewhere below the level of zero, you should understand that my proposal is to your benefit: much more so than you deserve. Do you have a suitable room with some chairs?"

Drago nodded. "I do."

Zyon chuckled softly. "Then let us discuss how together we will overthrow the world of Midgard."

High Asgard, Day 13 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup was too lost in his thoughts to mock the guards. He was on his way back up from the dungeons, his mind still in turmoil over what he had discussed with Loki.

"How can that be true?" He muttered. "How? It must be, though. I did it. I killed the Pawn and spared the Knight. One life must be worth more than another. Oh, man, I wish Toothless was here, and we could talk about it."

Sighing, Hiccup pushed open the heavy stone door of the dungeons and, after a flight of stairs, found himself back into the red-carpeted marble walled corridors of the more luxurious Asgard. And there, waiting in an alcove, was Asgeirr. Hiccup stopped and scowled. Just the sight of Asgeirr these days made him feel threatened.

Asgeirr had been leaning against the wall, and as Hiccup approached, he straightened.

"You look befuddled, Riddari." It was a statement.

Hiccup shrugged, keeping his frown on his face. "I'm in a bit of a mental turmoil," he replied. "Every time I talk to Loki he just shows me how deadly smart he is."

"Watch out, Riddari," Asgeirr warned. "Loki's words alone are dangerous. Odin and I discussed what he is trying to teach you, and I actually requested that your training with Loki be abolished completely. So did Odin, but the Council disagreed with us."

"The five Council Gods?" Hiccup queried.

"The same," Asgeirr answered. "So your training with Loki shall remain. However, that is done for the day. Now we begin the first test, which I actually think you will enjoy." Asgeirr gestured to a door.

"What's that?" Hiccup asked.

"Oh, you will like this room," Asgeirr smiled. "You were a smith? Then come on in."

Asgeirr turned a key, and the door opened with a noiseless swoosh. Hiccup entered the room, and gasped.

What he saw before him was the most awesome and quality workshop and forge that he had ever seen. Supplies, equipment, and tools that he had never seen before were hanging from walls, boxes of items piled in corners, and layers upon layers of metal ore highlighted the area. But what caught his eye the most was the forge itself.

Hiccup whistled as he stepped forward. The forge was expertly wrought, with zero flaws, and it was already heated and stoked. Bellows were working automatically with no one operating them. It was incredible.

"So." Asgeirr was smiling. "How do you like it, Riddari?"

"I – I don't have the words," Hiccup marveled. "Gobber would kill to use this just once."

"And you shall use it just once," Asgeirr stated. "For this, while it is unique for you, is NOT a game. This is a test, a very complex and very difficult test."

Hiccup turned to look at Asgeirr. "Go on."

"Well," Asgeirr said coolly, "The objective is as follows. You are to use your intelligence and ingenuity to create a device, anything, and it does not matter what, but it must be useful and it must be entirely unique. That is all."

"Entirely unique?" Hiccup was frowning. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean," Asgeirr went on, "that making something as primitive as a sword or an axe is not going to make you pass. You need to make something that no one has seen before. For instance, Riddari Zyon, when he was assigned this task, designed a way to charge his sword with lightning from his dragon Krelvin. He was able capture and fire lightning from the sword itself. Needless to say, making such a device was more than enough. Riddari Kaldr, now Captain of the Armies of Alfheim, was even more proficient at this. He made a device that combined the magic of elves and Gods. It allows the user to take the magic of any given God and store it in a box, to be used at the possessor's discretion. The Council Gods considered it SO dangerous that they confiscated it immediately. However, Alfheim learned of the confiscation and demanded that we hand it over to them. We were forced to do so for diplomatic reasons."

"Where is it?" Hiccup was stunned. "I could use that! I could use it to take Thor's power and use it myself for a brief time! I could use that to fight Hel!"

"Many could use it," Asgeirr scowled. "And it is FAR too deadly to give away. It is stored in the deepest holds of Alfheim. It is kept in a locked box, and Captain Kaldr carries the key around his neck. He is also the only person who knows how to make it. You'll never be able to create it, trust me."

"Holy Thor," Hiccup muttered.

"Yes," Asgeirr agreed. "So you see the standard that has been set for you."

"Right." Hiccup grew sober.

"However," Asgeirr continued, "do not be discouraged, Riddari. We have more materials here then you could have possibly dreamed of. Anything, your wildest fantasy for a device, you can probably make. You have the added advantage of being a smith. So, with that in mind, do you have an idea? I can get you whatever supplies you ask for."

Hiccup grinned.

"All right," he smiled. "I've had this idea nagging at me for a while, but never tested it. However, you said ANY supplies, but I don't think even you have this. You wouldn't have happened to have taken any Night Fury saliva from Toothless before you shipped him off to Alfheim, did you?"

Asgeirr reacted as if slapped.

"What made you ask THAT, Riddari?" He exploded, astonished. "How did you know we took some saliva?"

"I didn't." Hiccup frowned. "Wait, you DO have Night Fury saliva? Toothless'?"

Asgeirr was silent for a second, but then answered.

"We do have it."

"Why?" Hiccup was surprised. "What use could you possibly have for that stuff? Dragon Iron?"

"Yes," Asgeirr stated. "We are using it to make Night Fury Dragon Iron. It's never been done, and the result should be spectacular."

"What are you using it for?"

"Things."

"That's not an answer, Asgeirr."

"If I told you anything, would you believe me?" Asgeirr asked, seriously. "Forget it. It's not for you to know. However, we can spare some. Do you need it for Dragon Iron, too?"

"No. Not Dragon Iron. That can be done anytime, I mean, what's so special about Dragon Iron?" Hiccup shrugged. "I want it for this new thing I want to build."

"Fine." Asgeirr conceded. "Night Fury saliva. I'll get it for you. Anything else?"

"Yeah," Hiccup grinned. "I want several moldable thin sheets of thin metal, a box of oiled fuses, a hot forge torch, and – a Zippleback."

Asgeirr stared. "A Zippleback?"

"Right."

Asgeirr chuckled. "Well, out of all the material requests the others gave me, yours has been by far the most bizarre. But fine. I will get you all that stuff, including a Zippleback. For the love of Odin, I am afraid to ask what you're making."

"Then don't." Hiccup grinned. "Just get me my stuff. I want to see if this thing works."

"Geez," Asgeirr muttered, and walked out.

Berk, Day 13 Since Hiccup's Departure

The wind whipped in Astrid's face, slightly obscuring her vision of their final destination: home. Astrid reached down to pat Spike, the dragon she was riding. She had wanted to ride Stormfly, but the arrow wounds she had received were too severe, and she had to remain on the island near the Bog. Heather had offered to stay with her, and Astrid, who wanted desperately to get back to Berk, had accepted. Now she was riding her mother's dragon, and Heather was left behind.

The tall island of Berk loomed in the distance. Astrid dreaded stepping back onto the island, but she had to face the music. It would be hard. Everyone would be bitter about the confirmed death of Hiccup, and Astrid was not looking forward to the reactions. However, she also had to take care of business. Several things were on her list of things to do.

First, she needed to have a talk with her parents. The whole marriage contract business with Snotlout was getting almost intolerable. She needed to get the facts on what was really going on.

Second, she had to see Gothi. She hadn't had one of her strange visions for a while, but the fact remained that she had been seeing them, and they were vividly real. Deep in her heart she wished they might possibly be visions of the future, since Hiccup had been older and well. But he was dead. She couldn't escape that.

Or could she? Fishlegs had made her think twice when he saw the dragons that were caged on the Bog. He didn't understand why the Bog Burglars had killed Hiccup. He had been quiet the entire trip, and without Heather travelling with them, the only people who had spoken were the twins and Snotlout. Tuffnut and Snotlout were currently involved in a savage argument which looked as if it might come to blows. However, they were almost home.

The four dragons zoomed down to the landing area by the docks and dropped onto the wooden planks with a thud. Spike curled her wings, and Astrid looked up. She gawked.

Berk was overrun. There were dragons EVERYWHERE. Big dragons, little dragons, Nightmares, Nadders, Gronkles, and all kinds of other species were crowded in every street. Vikings, all dressed in full battle armor, were running around.

The allies had arrived.

Astrid slid off Spike, and Fishlegs and the others followed suit, their leather boots thudding against the docks. Caked dried blood crumbled off of Astrid's side as she moved, and she clutched her wound as a stab of pain raced across it.

Stoick the Vast, his face hardened, came up to them, even as a crowd of Vikings began to gather around the docks, staring and pointing at the new arrivals.

Stoick looked tired and angry.

"You did not find Hiccup." It was a statement, not a question.

"No," Astrid whispered. "Camicazi said that she killed him. He's – dead."

Stoick took a deep breath.

"Then we go to war," he muttered. He turned to Fishlegs. "Ingerman."

"Yes chief."

"I congratulate you on your plan to get the allies here immediately. We now have all dragon riders from the Meatheads and Bashem Island. It is even more than I had hoped for. You did well. How did the raid go?"

"Fantastic, chief." Fishlegs was smiling. "We wrecked the outer defenses, eliminated their forge and armory, and slaughtered over a score of Boggies, without losing a single life."

Stoick frowned. "Then where is Heather?"

"She stayed back at the island we left with Stormfly," Astrid explained. "Stormfly is hurt, and Heather chose to stay with her. She's alive and well."

Stoick nodded. "Very well. Fishlegs, we are leaving in a few hours to attack the Bog once and for all. Rest your dragons. All the preparations are made and the allies are all ready for war. But first, we must take care of one thing. All of you, come with me. We were waiting for you to return to do this."

"Do what?" Tuffnut asked, coming up.

"Have a funeral." Stoick said quietly. As if to corroborate him, a horn blew, and all the Vikings in the village began to turn and walk to the east edge of the island, where the sun was rising steadily in the distance.

Walking down to the shoreline, Astrid gasped. What she saw broke her heart.

It was a Viking ship, in full sail, Berkian colors billowing in the breeze. It was roped to the docks, but even as Astrid gazed upon it, two Vikings came forward and solemnly unfurled the sails. The breeze filled the sail, and there, on it, the sat a glorious painted image of Hiccup and Toothless, standing side by side. Tears came to Astrid's eyes. It was Hiccup's Funeral ship. He was being given the ultimate Viking honor.

The crowd had now gathered. A huge mass of Vikings from all three tribes stood behind, but in front, there was the royalty. Astrid, despite her sorrow, was interested in the characters.

There was Chief Mogadon of the Meathead tribe. He was easy to point out because of his absolutely enormous size. He made Stoick look like a child, for Mogadon was easily seven and a half feet tall. He was unequivocally gigantic.

Beside him, looking slightly smaller but still ferocious, was Mogadon's brother Megadeath. Megadeath was about the size of Stoick, and fully as muscular. They bred them big on the Meathead isles.

Then there was the Bashem Island royalty. Chief Elcroy, the renowned battle master, stood with shining armor in the group of chieftains. His wife, Bashhand, stood at his side, and his heiress, Bashhead, was there also, playing with her sword uncomfortably. She was an enormous girl, but she did not get the size from her father. Chief Elcroy was not thin, but compared to Stoick, Mogadon, and Megadeath he was a toothpick. His wife, however, WAS giant, only a few inches taller – and thinner – than Stoick himself. Elcroy was known for his astonishing skill with a sword, and his battle tactics both with and without dragons.

Snotlout Jorgenson strutted into the group, his arrogant face beaming. He gripped forearms with the Chieftains, and bowed clumsily to the females. But he did look like a Viking heir, Astrid had to admit that. His beefy arms and thick chest showed his strength and Viking power. But someone was missing.

Astrid leaned over to Tuffnut, who was standing beside her.

"Where's Thuggory, the Meathead heir?" she asked.

Tuffnut frowned. "I don't know. Where is that badass?"

Astrid never got to reply. A thunderous roar echoed overhead, and a grey Monstrous Nightmare swooped low over the crowd. The Nightmare was bigger than any Astrid had ever seen, and as it touched down next to the Chieftain's circle, a boy jumped off, landing adroitly on his feet.

It was Thuggory.

Astrid had heard stories about Thuggory the Meathead. He was credited to be the next rising star of Vikingdom. He had been the first man from a tribe other than the Berkians to ride a dragon, gaining this honor when Hiccup flew over to convince them. Thuggory and Hiccup had been tight-knit friends during Hiccup's stay on the Meathead Isles, and Hiccup had praised him more than once. Astrid had thought it all mostly talk, but now she realized that she was wrong.

Thuggory was undoubtedly the finest Viking warrior anyone had ever seen. He was big and strong, but his muscles were not enormous, merely toned and solid. There was no fat. He walked with a dragon riders gait, and a sleek, smooth sword hung at his waist.

Thuggory strode easily over the Chieftain's circle, delivering smooth bows to the females before turning to address Stoick in a tone of respect.

"I just got back from monitoring the Western defenses, Chief. They were run-down in a few places, as you expected. I put ten men to work on them and, with me and Furious helping out, got them fixed already."

"Nice job, Thuggory," Stoick praised. "You are just in time for the funeral."

"I wouldn't miss it," Thuggory stated quietly. "Hiccup was too good to die so soon, Chief. My condolences."

Stoick nodded. He then turned to the Vikings who were down at the docks, where Hiccup's funeral ship stood waiting. He gave a signal, and the men cut the ropes. The wind filled the sails and the glorious ship began to drift into the icy seas. Stoick turned back and addressed the royalty.

"Alas, I am now in a quandary," he smiled. "Usually, when the heir to a tribe dies, the next heir in line or any royalty gets to fire the first flaming arrow onto the ship. However, there is a vast amount of such characters for this funeral. So, who should gain the honor of firing the first arrow?"

Astrid, gasping, jumped forward.

"Chief!" she said. She tried to speak clear and loud, but her voice cracked and her lip trembled. "Chief. I – I was – want – let me fire the first arrow."

Chief Mogadon from the Meatheads glared at her from his towering seven feet. "Who are you, lass?" He demanded. "Are you royalty?"

Astrid shook her head. "No," she whispered.

Mogadon frowned. "Then what makes you think that you should fire the first arrow?"

Stoick spoke up. "She was my son's soon-to-be fiancée."

"Ah." Mogadon nodded. "I understand. But she cannot fire the arrow."

"I agree. However," Stoick said, addressing Astrid, "If we were alone right now, I would give you the honor, lass, without a seconds hesitation. But since we have visiting chieftains from other tribes, I have to follow the old traditions. I'm sorry."

"Hold on a second." It was Thuggory, speaking up. "Traditions be blasted! Let her shoot it, chief Stoick."

"But – chief," Astrid pleaded. "Hiccup would have wanted me to."

"I'm sorry, Astrid." Stoick was as stoic as ever. "I can't let you do this. It must be a Viking of royal blood."

He turned to face the chieftains of the other tribes and their heirs, and Astrid stood rooted to her spot, tears forming in her eyes. Stoick spoke again, not to her.

"In order to resolve this fairly, I think a game of chance would suit our purpose. Would you agree?"

Megadeath, Mogadon's brother, waved his hand. "Of course. Anything. It doesn't matter to me who fires it."

"Very well." Stoick reached over and picked up the arrow, the one that was the first to be fired. The Viking royalty formed a full circle, and then Stoick raised the arrow.

"Whoever the arrow points to shall fire it," he announced, and spun the arrow in the air. Hundreds of eyes followed it as it whirled through the air. Spinning downward, the crowds of Vikings craned their necks to see as the arrow landed in the dirt, the tip pointing at one part of the circle.

The chosen one was Thuggory the Meathead.

"Thuggory." Stoick gestured to the arrow. "You have won. Congratulations. You get to have the honor. The bow is yours." He gestured to the bow.

Thuggory was solemn and quiet as he walked into the circle of chiefs. He picked up the arrow from the dirt, and then took the bow that was offered him by Stoick. Running he fingers down the shaft, he looked up.

"It is mine?" He asked.

"It's yours," Stoick confirmed.

"To do with what I wish?" Thuggory asked.

Stoick nodded. "The lot fell to you. It is your bow. It is your right."

"Then I forfeit the right." Thuggory turned, stepped through the circle, and offered the bow to Astrid.

Astrid gasped, and the chieftains stared.

"You were right," Thuggory smiled, speaking to Astrid. "Hiccup was like that, wasn't he? He would have wanted you to fire the arrow. So I can't easily tell you that you can't, not when I have anything to say about it. Take it, Astrid."

Tears spilled down Astrid's cheeks. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you. I don't – I can't – I don't know what to say, Thuggory."

"Don't say a thing, then." Thuggory smiled and stepped forward. "Just take this bow and arrow and shoot it. Send Hiccup to Valhalla."

Astrid, her tearful eyes shining their gratitude at Thuggory, took the bow and dipped the oil-coated arrow into a torch. Behind her the entire regiment of Vikings did the same. One hundred bows lifted into the air, ready to fire. They were all waiting for Astrid. Astrid paused as she heard Gobber, standing on the shore, speak the fateful words.

"May the Valkyries welcome you and lead you through Odin's great battlefield. May they sing your name with love and fury, so that we might hear it rise from the depths of Valhalla and know that you've taken your rightful place at the table of kings. For a great man has fallen: A warrior. An heir. A son. A friend."

With a final tear, Astrid raised the bow, looking for her target, the ship. But she couldn't see it. Her eyes were filled with tears and too blurry. She couldn't tell where she was aiming. To miss would be a sacrilege. She was helpless, and faltered as the wound in her side ached.

Someone grabbed her elbow with a firm hand, and her shoulder with the other. It was Thuggory, and he leaned his chin on Astrid's shoulder to see the target in her sights. He adjusted her elbow slightly.

"There," he whispered.

Astrid fired. The arrow, blazing into the sunrise, sailed in an arc over the sea and smacked into the hull of the ship. Flames began to appear. On cue, one hundred Vikings behind Astrid all raised their bows, flaming arrows fitted to the string. Then there was a whoosh like the wind as they all fired. A sea of flaming arrows soared into the ship, clustering like bugs onto the wood. The ship was in an inferno almost immediately.

Then Thuggory's dragon Furious raised his neck and roared, a cry that was filled with rage and sorrow. Lifting his head, he blasted a fireball into the air and onto the ship. It burst into roaring flames. In response, all the dragons of Berk, Meathead Isles, and Bashem Island roared and fired flames towards the ship. The result was as expected, the ship was utterly incinerated.

Tears in her eyes, Astrid turned around and joined the huge crowd of people leaving. Thuggory was next to her, trying to clear a path for her, but she was stopped.

"Astrid!" A voice cried, and her mother stepped out of the crowd. "Astrid!"

"Mom," Astrid said sadly. Ingrid, Astrid's mother, stepped forward and embraced her daughter. Astrid melted in her mother's arms, her side aching with pain.

Then she blinked away her tears, grew resolute, and stepped back. Her father was there beside her, and she looked at both her parents.

"We need to talk," she said icily.

Valhalla, Day 13 Since Hiccup's Departure

The smoke rose from Hiccup's destroyed ship and sailed through the clouds, on into the heavens, where the Goddess of Valhalla, Freyja, saw it.

Laughing as she realized that the mortals had made another error in who was dead and who was not, Freyja flicked her wrist to find out where the undead human was.

It came back a blank. The man was not on Midgard.

Frowning, Freyja tried again to find him. The result was the same. The man was gone, but not dead. Frowning deeper, Freyja turned to the bell by her side and rang it. In an instant a guard with winged heels was by her side.

"Carry this message to the AllFather Odin," Freyja snapped. "A human is missing from Midgard and is presumed dead. I need to know where he is. I have reason to think he is on Asgard."

The guard nodded, and sped off.

Berk, Day 13 Since Hiccup's Departure

"So, what is this YAKshit about Snotlout offering you guys MARRIAGE contracts?!" Astrid exploded. "I have to hear about this from his own mouth! Why didn't you tell me?"

She was sitting at a table in her parent's house, drinking a cup of mead and resting her injured side.

"Astrid, you need to eat," her mother said sternly, sliding a bowl of chicken legs over to her. "You're hungry and tired. Eat something."

"Listen to your mother," her father stated.

"All right!" Astrid grabbed a chicken leg and sunk her teeth into it. She tore off the meat and started chewing. "Fine! I'm eating now! Now what the hell is all this about marriage contracts!?"

"Sven," Ingrid said to Astrid's father.

"Right." Sven Hofferson stepped forward and spoke. "Look, Astrid, we're sorry for not telling you earlier, but we didn't think there was a need to. The Jorgensons have been making marriage offers to us ever since Hiccup started to show interest in you. We rejected them all on the grounds that Hiccup was going to marry you soon, which was true. There was no need to let you know about it – it would only have upset you."

"Damn right it would have!" Astrid snapped, tossing down her first chicken leg and grabbing a second. "It has! But that was my future! You should have at least told me!"

"There was no need!" Sven roared. "I was NEVER, in a million years, even DREAMING of accepting a marriage offer from the JORGENSONS! For my own daughter – by the Gods, it was a Thor-damned insult! I told Spitelout if he came to me with another offer I would kill him."

Sven paused, and Ingrid spoke.

"But then Hiccup disappeared. That changed things."

"It didn't change a DAMN thing!" Sven exploded, hitting the table. "I don't care if Hiccup is dead, it changes NOTHING! The day my daughter has the last name of Jorgenson I will come back from the dead! And I say I'll come from the dead because it will NEVER happen as long as I'm alive! But I can't kill Spitelout anymore. Hiccup is dead, and we have no grounds other than the fact that I fucking hate the Jorgensons to refuse. So they will keep coming, with better offers. But don't get ME wrong, girl! You will NEVER be married to Snotlout! NEVER! Dear Odin, even the THOUGHT is outrageous! NO! I have never given you an order about who you could marry, Astrid, but I'm giving you one now! I am ordering you to NEVER MARRY SNOTLOUT FUCKING JORGENSON!"

Sven would have gone on, but Astrid was doing something strange. Her shoulder were shaking, but not with crying. Tears were coming from her eyes, but not from sadness. No. It was neither of those.

Astrid Hofferson was laughing.

High Asgard, Day 13 since Hiccup's Departure

Asgeirr flung open the door, and saw Hiccup kneeling by the forge in the center of the room, attaching a waxed string to something with his hands. Asgeirr put his hands on his hips and scowled.

"It's been two hours, Riddari," he snapped. "You only have one more hour left in the test. Are you close to being done?"

Hiccup blew on the table, and metal shavings flew up and away. Rising, he grabbed a rag and began to wipe his hands, even as he stepped back and spoke to Asgeirr.

"Iamdone, Asgeirr."

"DONE?" Asgeirr laughed. "And what have you created?"

Hiccup pointed to the table, on which sat an egg-sized metal shell with a fuse sticking out of it.

"That THING!" Asgeirr laughed derisively. "That looks like a dog turd with a string sticking out of it! What in the name of bloodless worms could that tiny device ever accomplish!?"

Flushing, Hiccup ignored the insults and held a candle to the end of the fuse. Then he rose again and stepped back to stand by Asgeirr.

"You're actually probably right," Hiccup admitted. "It is most likely useless. But it may show some promise and I can adjust it to make it better in the future. Maybe it'll set the table on fire."

Asgeirr frowned. "Wait, what is it supposed to be?" He demanded.

"It's supposed to kind of, you know, explode," Hiccup told him. "And you know what, let's just get behind this table. Maybe it's a little dangerous -"

The fuse reached the end, and all hell broke loose. Hiccup and Asgeirr were lifted off their feet and hurled against the wall with the force of the explosion. Greenish red flames roared from the egg-shaped device and blasted Hiccup and Asgeirr with hot fire as they fell to the ground. Broken pieces of debris and wood clattered around them as the smoke cleared. Hiccup and Asgeirr, both groaning in agony, looked up and saw the whole forge on fire. Green smoke was drifting all over.

As if by magic (maybe it was) water poured from a thousand small holes in the ceiling, drenching the room in a deluge of cold liquid. Hiccup and Asgeirr were soaked to the skin as they writhed on the ground in pain. But the water extinguished the fire, and the smoke began to clear.

Hiccup and Asgeirr struggled to their feet. Hiccup grabbed the edge of a table to help himself rise. His face and all other parts of him that was bare skin felt raw and singed. The explosion had been hot and fast.

Asgeirr was on his feet, and shaking in – fear?

He pointed to the table. There was the iron shell Hiccup had forged, with the pieces bent and broken. Smoke still poured form the shell, and the edges of the metal were red-hot. Asgeirr, still trembling, yelled louder than Hiccup had ever heard before.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" He screamed.

"That," Hiccup groaned, "was what I call a Zippleback bomb. It uses the gas from a Zippleback dragon and compresses it into a fluid which is contained in that metal shell. When lit, the result is apparently quite deadly."

"Where is the design for this!?" Asgeirr roared.

"Uhh, design?" Hiccup asked. "You mean if I drew it on paper and wrote down steps?"

"Did you!?"

"Of course."

"Where are the papers!?"

Hiccup pointed. "On that desk. They got partly burnt, I'm afraid."

Asgeirr didn't wait to hear more. He leapt over to the papers and flung every last one into the hottest part of the forge. The papers caught on fire and vanished in the blink of an eye.

"Hey!" Hiccup shouted, jumping forward as his design was burnt like a twig.

Asgeirr whirled on Hiccup and seized his collar. "Are you crazy?" He roared. "Don't you realize what you've done?!"

Hiccup stared. Asgeirr, whose face was inches away from his own, looked more remarkable than Hiccup had ever seen. His trainer was truly and genuinely terrified.

"I have no idea what you mean," Hiccup replied. "I was trying to pass the test. That's all. Did I?"

Asgeirr released Hiccup and threw his hands in air. "Did you pass? Holy Thor, you'd ask THAT question at a time like this?!"

Hiccup stared. "What are you going on about, Asgeirr?!" he was beginning to get angry.

"Fool!" Asgeirr pointed to the smoking remains of the bomb. "You don't get it, do you? For centuries the GODS have been trying to create a device like this. Magicians, elders, and smiths have labored years attempting to build a bomb like that. Having such a weapon would be the turning point of wars! But no one could ever design it. But here, YOU, of all people, make one in less than an hour."

Hiccup stared. "Wait… that bomb is wanted?"

Asgeirr closed his eyes in disbelief. "Yes. A bomb like that would mean a lot to the kingdom of Asgard. And only you can make it."

Asgeirr stepped forward and drew his sword. He pointed it at Hiccup. Hiccup instantly reacted by reaching for Hicca on his back. However, Asgeirr stepped quickly forward and placed the tip of his sword against Hiccup's neck.

Hiccup froze, his fingers touching the hilt of Hicca.

"Let me make one thing clear right now," Asgeirr hissed. "The knowledge and the design for that bomb goes NOWHERE. It will be a secret. Even I will not know how to make it. If knowledge of that bomb gets out, then Odin knows what will happen. You will tell NO ONE how to make that bomb. Is that clear?"

"Get that sword away from my neck," Hiccup said quietly.

Asgeirr complied. He lowered his sleek blade from Hiccup's neck. A thin drop of blood appeared where the tip had rested. Asgeirr sheathed his sword. It slid into his grey scabbard with a click.

As soon as he did so, Hiccup attacked. In the blink of an eye he whipped Hicca from his back and lunged at Asgeirr. The tip of his blade stopped at Asgeirr's neck, in the exact same position that he had just been in. Asgeirr tensed and then stood very still.

"You've put me through a lot," Hiccup whispered savagely, pressing with the tip of Hicca. "The Wolf, your dumb training, and all of it. I can take that pain. But one thing I will NEVER do is submit to someone under duress. I will die first. Holding a sword to my neck will not affect my choices. Also, I don't like it. You are here to train me, not to kill me. If you threaten me like that again, Asgeirr, I willkillyou."

Hiccup's voice was laced with hate. Asgeirr said nothing. He only glanced down at Hicca and then back up at Hiccup. He met Hiccup's green eyes calmly and coolly. He showed no fear.

Hiccup lowered his gaze, and let Hicca fall from Asgeirr's neck. A streak of blood appeared on Asgeirr's neck. For three seconds no one spoke, but then Hiccup sheathed Hicca and sighed.

"I'm not sorry for that, Asgeirr. But you're right, about the Zippleback bomb. I'll keep it a secret. I won't put anything on paper or tell anyone how to make it. Agreed?"

Asgeirr nodded. "Agreed."

"So did I pass the test?"

Asgeirr managed a laugh. "Thor dammit, of COURSE." He reached up and wiped the blood off his neck with his sleeve.

"So what's next?" Hiccup asked, wiping his own blood off.

Asgeirr frowned. "Well, you have one final test, but that will be tomorrow morning. If you pass that one, you get to see Toothless again and you also advance to the next stage."

"Tomorrow?"

"Right."

"Then what should I do for the rest of today?" Hiccup asked. "I've got a ton of time."

Asgeirr walked to the door, turned around, and shrugged. "Do whatever you want. Explore. Roam. Satisfy your curiosity. Meet people. Just don't do anything excessively stupid while I'm gone."

"Where are you going?" Hiccup demanded.

"To discuss this new bomb with the Asgardian Council, you moron!" Asgeirr shouted, and then left, closing the door with a bang.

Berk, Day 13 Since Hiccup's Departure

Astrid and Gobber walked up the hill to Gothi's hut. It was a rather humorous spectacle, for Astrid was taking long, determined strides and Gobber was hurrying on his peg leg to keep up.

"Gee, hold on, Astrid!" he complained. "Take pity on the old man, will ye?"

"Come on, Gobber, you're not that slow," Astrid sighed. "And I'm injured, too. Just hurry up."

"And jest what am I coming with ye for again?" Gobber asked, hobbling on.

"I need you to translate." Astrid told him.

"Translate? Oh, ye mean Gothi?"

"Yes!" Astrid snapped. "Who else!" She stopped at the door to Gothi's hut and knocked loudly three times.

"Good point." Gobber sighed, coming up to stand next to Astrid at the door. "Look, Astrid, why are ye so darn upset at everything? I know Hiccup's gone, but we all knew he was dead. I think ye need to get over it."

Astrid whirled. She grabbed Gobber's collar with a strong hand.

"I NOT going to get over it!" She shouted. "You hear me! I don't just 'get over' things like Hiccup DYING! No! I'm not getting over it! I'm not going to be over it until I've stripped every bone from that bitch Camicazi's body! I'll rip her heart out! I'll murder her! And YOU, Gobber, are you OVER it? Are you happy that Hiccup is dead? Afraid he was going to take over your job as smith?"

Gobber's face turned dark with rage. He grabbed Astrid's wrist and tore her arm off his collar. He twisted it sharply, and Astrid grunted in pain.

"Look, Astrid," Gobber said, and his voice was meaner than Astrid had ever heard it before. "I know ye liked Hiccup, but I did too. I liked Hiccup before ye ever even decided to notice him. I was the one who comforted him after ye and the rest of the gang tormented him when he was a laddie. Don't you be tellin me what I should be doin. Hiccup is gone. That's all there is to it. Maybe Cami killed him, and maybe she didn't, but I'm not goin to go makin everyone's life miserable because I'm on a revenge streak! Ye get me!"

He released Astrid's wrist. Astrid held it her hand, wincing.

"I'm sorry, Gobber," she sighed. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I'm just – frustrated, OK?"

"Yeah." Gobber gestured to Gothi's door. "So ye want me to translate stuff?"

"Yes."

The door swung open, and Gothi, the small old woman, peered out at Gobber and Astrid.

"Hey Gothi," Gobber said. "Astrid here wants to see ye."

Gothi squinted up at Gobber and then nodded. She turned away from the door and beckoned for the two of them to enter, leaning on her staff.

Astrid and Gobber entered the cozy home of the village elder. It was the law of Berk that the elder be housed and sheltered by the ones capable of doing the work. This was strictly upheld, and with all the gifts Gothi had received for healing family members and others, her house was well-stocked with provisions and warmth.

Astrid took a seat at the small table, and Gothi trundled over to the fireplace, where a tea kettle was boiling. She brought it over, poured two cups for Gobber and Astrid, and then a final one for herself. Only then did she sit down across from Astrid and peer intently at her. Gobber stood beside Gothi, ready to translate anything the woman might write.

Astrid felt her tea with the tip of her tongue – it was too hot. Setting it down, she took a deep breath.

"It all started the day before Hiccup left," she told Gothi. "I mean, I started to see these strange visions in my sleep. I say visions because they weren't dreams. They were too real, I mean, they were vividly clear. Sometimes I would feel physical effects of these visions. So they weren't dreams. I want to make that clear."

Gothi's eyes had widened some, which meant she was extremely interested. She beckoned for Astrid to continue.

Astrid fingered the handle of her mug.

"The visions were of Hiccup. All of them, and they were all basically the same. I had a total of five, I think. But I had better explain what they were of. First off, Hiccup was a lot older in all of them. I mean, he was so changed I almost couldn't recognize him. He had the freckles, the hair, all of it, but he looked at least twenty and he had scars – battle scars, on his face. New ones. And he was muscular. So much stronger. And his eyes – they looked sinister."

Astrid paused, and tried her tea again. Gothi, still enraptured by the story, wrote with her finger on the dusty table. Gobber leaned down to look at it, and Astrid put her cup down.

"She asks," Gobber read, "If Hiccup's egg leg – OW!" Gothi hit him with her hand. "Sorry. If his PEG leg was made better than it was."

Astrid frowned. That was a good question! Closing her eyes, she thought back to the visions. Hiccup sitting on Toothless, his red and black helmet, the scaled armor, and his leg…

"My GOD!" Astrid wrenched her eyes open. "He didn't have a peg leg! No! In all these visions, he had NO peg leg. His leg was whole!"

Gothi looked astonished. Astrid herself was startled. She kicked herself inwardly. How had she not noticed that before!

Gothi gestured to go on.

"Right." Astrid took a breath. "There were other odd things, too – for instance, Toothless was bigger. A lot bigger. And I would be wearing a helmet in the visions. I never wear a helmet. But anyway, every vision was almost the same."

Astrid told Gothi and Gobber what the visions had been of. How Hiccup was fighting with a dragon army, Fishlegs being there, how Hiccup and Toothless attacked an abyss, and how they had been shot down and cut to pieces by flying blades. How he fell into the abyss, every time, right in front of her.

When she finished, the room was utterly silent. Only the crackling of the flames remained.

"I can't save him," Astrid said. "I couldn't save him in any of the visions, no matter how hard I tried. That's what made me feel the worst. And poor Toothless got destroyed. It was so unnerving, and it makes no sense at all. And after Hiccup died, the visions ended. Can you explain it, Gothi?"

Gothi was quiet. She said nothing and wrote nothing. However, Gobber cleared his throat.

"The flyin blades, Astrid," he said. "What'd they look like?"

Astrid raised an eyebrow. "Umm, basically just a lot of blades spinning in different directions," she said slowly. "Why do you ask?"

"Ehh, well," Gobber frowned, scratching his beard, "A couple years back, when we were still fightin the dragons, Hiccup designed a dragon-killin weapon. He called it 'The Mutilator.'"

"Dear Thor," Astrid whispered. "That's right! The Mutilator! Oh, what did he say…. Basically it uses internal calibration to launch crisscrossing blades in three different directions."

Gobber stared. "How did ye know about that one, lass?"

"One day in the Forge," Astrid said. "He – Hiccup - was sharpening my axe and I snooped around a bit. I found the design for the Mutilator, and he explained what it did.* My God. I think what I saw in my visions looked exactly like that."

"Very interesting," Gobber commented.

Gothi took a big breath and then exhaled. She dipped her finger in the dust once more and wrote. Gobber once more leaned over to look at the writing.

"She says," he began, "that if not for a few things she would say it was probably a prison – OW! No, a vision - of the future. One, Hiccup is dead, and two, he somehow regrew a leg."

Astrid sighed. "I suppose that's right. I don't think it's from the future either. So what can it be?"

Gothi wrote again, this time for a long time. When she finally finished Gobber read it.

"She says that it's possibly a representation. Of Hiccup's death. For example, point one. What he was doing when he died. He was leading an army of dragons, and Fishlegs was helping him. That could have been a representation of the Dragon training and convincing others of their quality. The battle scars go along with that – he had done this before.

"Point two. He wasn't expecting it. They used a weapon that he invented to kill him. She doesn't know how he died, so that may have been a thing.

"Point three. Toothless died first. The bog Burglars killed both of them, and they would have done it that way, killing the dragon before the rider.

"Point four. There are a thousand other things that could be taken as parallels."

Gobber paused and then kept reading. "However, there are other things that don't make too much sense in that regard. For instance, why an Abyss? It has no meaning other than that an Abyss is a gateway to Helheim in legend."

Astrid was staring. "So the visions were warning me, essentially, that Hiccup was about to die!?"

Gothi shrugged and wrote again.

"She says possibly," Gobber stated. "It might have been. In fact, she says it's likely. Didn't they stop right after he died?"

Astrid froze. "Yes," she whispered.

Gothi nodded.

"Oh NO," Astrid gasped. She buried her face in her hands. "NO! It was warning me, the WHOLE time! Why did I let him go! Oh, no, no, no…." She burst into a fit of crying, her shoulders shaking and her face buried in her palms.

She didn't notice Gobber leaving.

High Asgard, Day 13 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup had so much free time he didn't know what to do with it. The first thing he wanted to do was see Aiah, but he had no idea where to find her. In fact, in the labyrinth of golden hallways and marble walls, he had no idea where anything was. But he did know where he could discover any information that he wanted.

The third cell in the deepest dungeons. The one that held Loki.

So, with that destination in mind, Hiccup descended the steps of the towers into the dungeons for the second time in two hours.

Loki was clearly surprised to see Hiccup back so soon. However, he was not unhappy. When Hiccup was granted access to Loki's cell, he smiled and greeted Hiccup cheerily.

"Well well well," Loki grinned. "Look who's passed his test early."

"You bet I did," Hiccup grinned, walking up to sit across from Loki at the table once more. "It was easy. I created a device so deadly that Asgeirr was scared out of his mind. He's discussing the significance of the invention to the Council right now. Impressive, huh?"

"Very." Loki was wide-eyed. "What was the item?"

"It was a bomb," Hiccup replied. "I'm not revealing how to make it, I'm not allowed to, but it's pretty damn awesome. I almost killed me and Asgeirr with it when I tested it."

"Killing Asgeirr would have been a job well done," Loki laughed. "But losing you, however, is another story. It would have been a shame to lose a mind like your own. Speaking of which, did you have time to consider my lesson from this morning?"

Hiccup leaned back in his chair slowly.

"A little bit," he said. "I know your argument is flawed, but I can't exactly pinpoint why. However, let me try."

"Do so. I am interested in your response." Loki closed his eyes.

Hiccup leaned forward, tapping his finger on the small table that sat between the two green-eyed men.

"It's the spirit of the battle that defines the value of losses," he said. "Our chess game we just played was irrelevant. But in a real battle things reach the true moral heights. It comes down to the utmost essentials of the war, that is, who is right and who is wrong."

Hiccup paused for effect. "For the right cause, all life is worth giving away," he continued. "All life, a Pawn or a Knight, it doesn't matter. It DOES matter, however if one fights to win for the good of many. First, the death of men cannot affect the true purpose of that battle. The sole purpose of the conflict is for good to prevail. In order for that to happen, tough and difficult decisions must be made. For instance, I must send the Pawns in to die because they are expendable. Their lives are worth as much as the Knights in a moral approach, but killing a Knight instead of a Pawn would not for the cause of good. Killing a Pawn will benefit the true good better than killing a Knight."

Hiccup paused, and then concluded.

"It is the morality of the fight that allows for the right choices, harsh as they may be."

Loki sat very still.

"Very well," he said slowly. "As long as you are on the morally correct side of that battle. What if you are not?"

"Then I have no business leading that army." Hiccup replied.

Loki nodded. "All right. You make an interesting point. I will think on it at length. However, let us not waste your free time arguing. You came down here to enjoy yourself, not to debate. Did you want something from me?"

"Sure," Hiccup smiled. "You promised me the tale of Captain Kaldr and his dragon, Brenakir. I was intrigued by the story of Zyon, but he is my enemy. Now I want to know the story of a friend."

Loki grinned. "A friend? Choose your friends wisely."

Hiccup shrugged. "He's an elf. Kaldr, that is. In Viking tales the elves are tall, fair, clean, regal, and good. Is that correct?"

Loki chuckled. "Not exactly. Get comfortable, Vaskar, for this may take a while. This is the story of Kaldr, the elvish Captain."

Hiccup smiled and got comfortable.

"Long ago," Loki began, "On Alfhiem, there was an infestation of goblins. They appeared in the mountains and caused no end of trouble for the elves. A once peaceful culture that the elves possessed and cherished was dissolved and a tougher, harder version of the elf appeared over the years. War began to become a part of the elvish culture.

"It was at this time that Kaldr was born. I do not know much of his first few years, but what I do know that his family was poor. They lived as peasants outside the city, and when the Goblins arrived, Kaldr's home was attacked. His mother and father were killed. Kaldr, a boy of thirteen at the time, vowed revenge. He became a hunter. For four years the Goblins told stories of a wraith-like boy that swooped through the trees and danced across the snow, sniping down Goblins with a bow and arrow. Kaldr was feared before he ever even put on elvish armor."

Loki paused to take a drink from a glass of wine that was on the table. He then continued.

"Kaldr was 17, trekking across a high mountain, when he found an egg. A dragon egg. It was the egg of an Alpha, but Kaldr was young and did not know that. The only thing he knew was that it was in fact a dragon egg of some kind. Dragons were incredibly rare on Alfheim. In fact, they still are. So Kaldr, in his loyal sense of service to his country, brought the egg to the nearest city, which happened to be the capital."

Loki chuckled. "This part of the story is hazy, but I have studied the records and I believe it is true. When Kaldr went to give the egg to the elvish authorities, he was not exactly received well at the gates. He was rejected by the guards, they called him names, beat him, and threw him in the dirt. But at that moment the Prince of Alfheim rode by. He saw the mistreatment of Kaldr and was enraged. He helped Kaldr to his feet himself, and Kaldr, after realizing who the prince was, gave him the egg. The prince was stunned. He made Kaldr accompany him back to the castle, and the prince kept Kaldr there. The egg hatched a week later in Kaldr's arms. The dragon immediately bonded with Kaldr."

Loki smiled. "You would not believe the rejoicing that occurred in Alfheim. The elves had been dreaming of a rider for centuries. When Brenakir began to come of size, a debate occurred, trying to decide how to train Kaldr and Brenakir, especially since they were now being attacked by large forces of Goblins. After a discussion, they decided to send Kaldr here, to Asgard, so that he would be the elf that was prophesied to train with Asgeirr. Kaldr was sent, and underwent the same brutality that you did."

Hiccup was gripping his chair arms, and Loki went on. "Kaldr was already a mean elf, his years of hardship had done that, but even so, the training nearly killed him. Elves are happy, jovial, and friendly. Kaldr had those traits and the sheer disgusting savagery and brutality that he endured was almost too much for him. After he beat the Cobra, his version of the Wolf, he was so mentally disturbed that he spent two weeks revolving in and out of insanity. When he recovered, he was not the same."

"Is he crazy?" Hiccup asked.

"Oh, no!" Loki laughed. "No. I just mean that he acted nothing like the normal elf anymore. When the prince of Alfhiem came to check on him after he recovered, he was horrified. He learned what had happened to Kaldr, was enraged, and almost declared war because of the mistreatment. But Odin was unmoved, and no conflict ever occurred. Kaldr excelled at all the warlike aspects of the training, and he passed the intelligence tests with fair ease. To close it off, he finished with a masterful final examination. He was made Captain of Alfheim."

Loki sighed. "After that, it was all glory for Kaldr and Brenakir. The first thing they did was defeat the Giant Riders. After that mighty deed, Alfhiem hailed him as a hero and their savior. They insisted on his marrying so that they could preserve his 'majestic' bloodline."

"Did he marry?" Hiccup was interested.

"No, actually, he did not," Loki laughed. "In fact, that is a funny story. Kaldr did not like the elves imposing a marriage on him. He wanted to be sure he would be happy with his wife – after all, elves live forever if they are not killed. So the King of Alfheim made a deal with him. All the elvish maidens in the land would come to the Great Castle, and Kaldr would toss up his sword. The sword was magically enchanted to fly to the girl that Kaldr would love."

Loki grinned. "It was a big event. I was actually there for it. Elvish fanfare is quite the show. Anyhow, Kaldr, at the height of the drama, stepped up and tossed his sword above a crowd of thousands of elvish girls. But -" Loki laughed, "It didn't come down again. It flew right through the ceiling and vanished into the sky. Kaldr's sword had been shipped to another world. No one knows where."

Loki burst out laughing. "My goodness, was Alfheim embarrassed. Not only would Kaldr not love any of their own kind, but they had lost his marvelous sword! So they made him a new one which was even finer than the first, but of the same make."

Hiccup was laughing too. "And Kaldr never saw his old sword again?"

Loki shrugged. "When he does, he will see the love of his life, if the magic was true. I am wondering when that will occur. I mean, he can potentially live forever, and if the chosen one was not an elf, she may not even be born yet. Regardless, I much enjoyed that hilarity."

"I'm sure." Hiccup frowned. "This was a cool story, but I don't understand one thing, Loki. Why did Odin agree to train him for nothing?"

Loki guffawed. "For nothing? Trust me, Odin is not as generous as that. He certainly made a request. Kaldr has to come and fight for the Aesir whenever the Captain of Asgard calls."

Hiccup sat up with a jolt. "What? I will be the Captain of Asgard, if I pass this infernal training."

Loki smiled. "Yes, you will. And Kaldr will be at your service."

Hiccup gawked. "What?"

"Captain Kaldr will be yours to command."

Hiccup stared. "How important am I?" he whispered.

"The entire fate of your world rests on your shoulders, Hiccup." Loki reached across the table and gripped Hiccup's shoulder. He leaned forward.

"I know it feels oppressive," he whispered. "The burden of responsibility weighs upon you. The pressure. The need. You feel afraid. Don't you?"

Hiccup didn't say anything.

"You are afraid." Loki stated it. He wasn't gloating and he wasn't sympathetic: it was merely a statement. "It is perfectly natural for you to be afraid. After all, who would not be fearful if the fate of everything he knew and loved rested on his quality and his skill?" Loki leaned in even closer. "Everything you love, Vaskar. Your father. Your tribe. Astrid. They all depend on YOU."

Hiccup looked up. "Are you trying to make me feel even more unsure of myself, Loki?" He asked. "If so, congratulations. You've done a good job."

"No!" Loki leaned back in his chair. "No, Vaskar. I know how damaging a lack of encouragement and support can be. I experienced it all myself, and I have no intention, accidental or not, of making you go through the same things I did. No. I was trying to tell you that you are important, Hiccup. Even more important than you could possibly imagine. Odin and Asgeirr have desperately tried to keep it from you. They have bullied you and badgered you beyond reason. Odin has called you trash and Asgeirr mocks you – it is his job. But both of them share contempt for you. They fear you."

"Why?" Hiccup was utterly absorbed.

"Because you are not a normal man, Vaskar." Loki was quiet. "No one, no one alive should be as smart as you are. No mere mortal could have done the things you have already accomplished. You defeated your fears, your horrors, in the form of an invincible Wolf-man, in mere days, as a cripple. You are growing muscle and strength at an astonishing rate of speed. You are naturally gifted at battle, and you are moving faster through your training not because time is running out, as Asgeirr lied and told you, but rather because you CAN. You are skipping the first part of the training because you are so good you don't NEED it."

Hiccup was staring. "I'm not normal? Loki, I'm just a regular human. I'm no elf. I'm no Aesir legend. I'm just a – a hiccup."

Loki smiled. "You are greater than you know. And you are no mere human. There is an air about you, a magnitude of spirit. I do not know how this could be, but you are different. I know it. Odin knows it. Asgeirr knows it. A little hiccup can change the course of history."

Hiccup opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted. The door to the prison opened, and Asgeirr appeared.

Loki and Hiccup rose, and Loki spoke. "Good afternoon, Warlock."

Asgeirr stiffened. He did not return the greeting. Instead he shifted his attention to Hiccup.

"Riddari."

"Yeah, Asgeirr?" Hiccup was grinning. "Have you been to the council? Am I to be executed for making that bomb?"

"No." Asgeirr was not amused with Hiccup's joke. "The council wants you to brief them on the bomb, but not now. There is a slightly more serious matter to attend to."

Hiccup cocked an eyebrow. "What can be more serious then speaking to five Council Gods?"

"Speaking to the Goddess Freyja."

Hiccup's jaw dropped, and Loki made a noise.

"Is this a joke?" Hiccup demanded. "Freyja? You mean Toothless' mother?"

Asgeirr's jaw worked. "Yes. She has demanded to see you."

"What for?"

"That I do not know. I am not a God, I am not privy to their decisions. I will not even be with you when you go to see her."

"Where do I need to go?" Hiccup was staring.

"Follow me, Riddari." Asgeirr turned and walked out.

Hiccup turned and shook hands with Loki.

"Well, I'm sorry that got interrupted," Hiccup said. "I was enjoying the conversation. If I have time later today I will come back. By the way, do you know where Odin's Little Seer lives? Where can I find her?"

Loki shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, Vaskar, I have no idea. Being a prisoner does not exactly keep you up to date on where people are."

"Right." Hiccup grinned.

"So, what would you like to hear about next time you speak with me?" Loki asked.

Hiccup scratched his head. "Ooh. Well, let's talk about the prophecy. The one that says I am to save the world. It always made me feel odd that we're trusting a single prophecy."

"Very well." Loki smiled. "I will do a little research on that prophecy, and if you come back we will discuss it."

"Sounds good to me." Hiccup saluted jokingly. "Catch you later, Loki."

"And you, Vaskar."

Hiccup turned and left. Asgeirr was waiting for him in the hall. As Hiccup passed through the door, it boomed shut and an energy barrier stiffened over it. Hiccup turned to Asgeirr.

"All right, Asgeirr," he said. "What in the name of Thor is going on?"

Asgeirr sighed. "I do not know, Riddari. I went to explain to the Council of your invention, and they considered it for a few minutes and then informed me that you needed to be taken to see Freyja. I do not know why or what for. I am merely under orders to escort you to someone who does. Let's go."

Asgeirr did not say a word for the entire walk up from the deep prison, despite Hiccup's constant pressing for information. When they finally emerged from the dungeons into the normal halls, Asgeirr took a sharp turn and entered a hidden passageway.

"Wow," Hiccup breathed. "This is cool. Where am I going, Asgeirr? Who am I seeing?"

Asgeirr did not answer, but instead came to a door, opened it, and gestured Hiccup in. Hiccup, his hand sliding to Hicca on his back warily, stepped into the room. Asgeirr closed the door behind him, and now he was alone. Alone with someone else. A giant man with a Viking helmet and flowing golden hair was standing by the wall, his back to Hiccup. As the door closed, the giant man turned.

Hiccup gasped and dropped to one knee. It was Thor.

"Oh, bah, get up!" Thor laughed. "Come on, Hiccup, you know better than to kneel to me. God I am, but I will not be revered like one, or at least, not by you. Get up."

Hiccup obeyed and rose. Lifting his eyes, he met those of the giant God. Thor walked towards him and stopped a mere two feet away.

"You're stronger," Thor commented, running his golden eyes up and down Hiccup. "Been kicking some ass down there in Ragnarok?"

Hiccup grinned. "A little bit. It's been a while since I last saw you, Thor."

"It has been. Around a week or more. How has the training been treating you?"

"Like shit." Hiccup was grinning. "Asgeirr isn't taking things easy on me, that's for sure."

"Ahh, well, you know what they say, they pick on the best," Thor chuckled.

"Oh really?" Hiccup laughed. "Do they pick onyou?"

Thor joined in the laugh. "No, not exactly," he chuckled. "Being a God has that effect, doesn't it? But hey, being a hero is a very good thing. The girls love it." He winked at Hiccup.

"I bet." Hiccup was astounded at Thor's attitude. "You know, your brother Loki joked to me the other day about your girlfriend count. Are you in the fifties or sixties?"

"Eighties," Thor laughed. "Loki has fallen behind since he saw me last."

"And when was that?" Hiccup asked, chuckling.

Thor sighed. "Too long ago. Every time I go to see him I can only think of what he was back in the Asgardian War. I see him one more time, standing in his black snake-scale battle armor, standing above his legions of ghouls and evildoers, and Lord Zyon flying above them."

Thor was speaking so quietly now he was whispering.

"I never gave up on Loki, you know. He was my brother. I always thought he had some good in him, until he led that army to the city gates. In that moment, I knew he was lost."

Hiccup nodded. "He is lost, Thor. But there is a chance he can find the right path once more, I think."

Thor sighed. "I often feel guilty for being the cause of Loki's downfall. He was – I hesitate to say jealous, because he was not. He was right when he said that he was not appreciated by my Father, or even me. But I am a man with one mind. Loki is too smart for me. We never got along well."

Thor stopped, and then cleared his throat. "Oh well. Forget Loki. We have somewhere to go, Hiccup Rider."

"To see Freyja, Asgeirr said," Hiccup stated. "He also said you could tell me why. I am frankly astonished at this. Why does Freyja want to see me? She is the Goddess of Death. I don't want to see her until I am dead, that's for sure."

"You shouldn't," Thor said. "But she has to lay eyes on you."

"What for?"

Thor met Hiccup's eyes. "Because she needs to make sure you arenotdead."

Hiccup stared. "Why would she think I am dead?"

Thor sighed. "Every time a Viking Funeral ship is burned, Freyja sees the smoke, knows whom it is for, and finds the soul to escort it to Valhalla. You had a ship burned for you, but she did not find your soul on Midgard. That raises complications. She must -"

"They burned a ship for me!?" Hiccup was horrified. "Dear GOD! They think I'm dead! Dad thinks I'm dead! The whole tribe thinks I'm dead?! Astrid thinks -" Hiccup froze, and his hand went to touch the Nadder scale around his neck. "Oh NO."

Thor nodded grimly. "They all believe you to be dead, Hiccup."

Hiccup fell to his knees. "No," he whispered. "They can't. I'm not dead! I'm not! What if they – what if Astrid – what if she -" Hiccup looked up at Thor. "They HAVE to know I am still alive," he pleaded. "Send them a message, anything. Let Astrid know I'm not dead."

Thor grimaced. "The Council debated that point already," he said. "And they reached the conclusion that a message shall NOT be sent."

"NO!" Hiccup leapt to his feet. "Why? Damn the Council! Where are they! I'll kill them!"

Thor sighed. He reached forward and laid his hand on Hiccup's shoulder.

"Odin and the Council feel that if we send a message to Midgard, things will become chaotic. The only way for the message to even be able to fully convince anyone would be to physically send a being there by BiFrost, which takes energy that can be better used for other things."

"That's yakshit!" Hiccup was enraged. "You don't get it, do you? They think I'm dead – that means that they probably think the Bog Burglars killed me! War will break out! People will die! Maybe they already have! Are the Gods too important and stuck up to save lives?"

Thor sighed. "I know. If it was my decision, Hiccup, I WOULD send a message. But unfortunately, it is not. It is the Council's, and they have decided against it. I'm sorry."

Hiccup sighed. Thor went on.

"However, you may have a chance to send one after all, although not conclusive. You may be able to convince Freyja to send a message. However, I must warn you about Freyja."

Thor leaned close. "Freyja is a MOST unhappy person," he said. "She hates everything that moves, everything that is happy. Do you know her history?"

Hiccup nodded. "Yes. You told me. She gave birth to a demon by the Thunderbird. The God Lofn cursed it – the child became Toothless and the Hydra."

Thor nodded. "But she does not know that."

Hiccup stared. "What?"

"She does not know she has two sons."

"Why not!" Hiccup asked. "She, of all people, has a right to know! Why did no one ever tell her?!"

"Because Freyja hates dragons with every fiber in her body!" Thor shouted. "Dragons are her very enemy! She hates dragons with such a passion that if she sees one she kills it immediately. She has banned all dragons from entering Valhalla when they die."

Hiccup gaped. "What!? The dragons are alive! They have souls! How can Freyja not let them into Valhalla?"

"Because she won't," Thor stated. "She knows that the creature she gave birth to – the one that Freyr killed – was a dragon of sorts, and she hated them from that moment on. So she refused to let them into Valhalla."

"So – If Toothless dies," Hiccup stared, "He will NOT go to Valhalla?"

"No." Thor was sad. "He will go to an uninhabited wasteland – not Helheim, but an equally devastating area."

Hiccup stood with his mouth open, absolutely enraged.

"I'll kill her!" he shouted. "I'll cut her Hel-damned head off! Dragons are not evil! They are in many ways better than humans are! Take me to her! I will murder her!"

"NO!" Thor boomed. He stepped forward and seized Hiccup's collar. "Fool! You think you can stand against Freyja, the Goddess of Death? She governs the dead. She is all-powerful and terrifying. You stand no chance against her! Forget this nonsense! We have been trying to alter her decision to let dragons into Valhalla, and we are succeeding! Having you rant and try to kill her over it will abolish all of our chances! Do you understand?"

Hiccup tore Thor's arm away from his collar.

"Yes." His voice was icy. "I do understand."

"So it is important," Thor said, more calmly, "to keep her unaware that she is the mother of Toothless and the Hydra. When you go in there, you will not speak unless spoken too, you will keep your temper, look wise, and say NOTHING at all until you have to. If you can try to convince her to send a message back to Midgard, do so, but TACTFULLY. Is that clear?"

Hiccup sighed. "Yes. I will do that."

"Good." Thor clapped Hiccup on the shoulder. "Great. Now you will get to do what no other mortal man has done before. You shall walk into Valhalla and out again."

Berk, Day 13 Since Hiccup's Departure

Astrid was utterly broken down when she left Gothi's hut. Nothing could have possibly pained her more than knowing that if she had only taken the visions as warning, Hiccup might not have died. Her eyes were red from crying, and she walked down the main street of Berk with her head down. No one spoke to her, until a voice came at her from the side. It was Snotlout Jorgenson.

"Crying a few tears for your dead boyfriend?" he chuckled. "Ahh, you'll get over it. Soon you'll see who the real Viking is. Me, Snotlout."

Astrid stopped in her tracks and turned. She reached for her axe, her eyes blazing. And she would have killed Snotlout on the spot if she hadn't been interrupted.

"Hey!" It was Tuffnut, his voice coming from somewhere behind Astrid. "You, Snotface! Shut up! Are you saying Hiccup wasn't a real Viking!? By the Gods, he was a better Viking than ALL of us! He was kicking the Red Death's ass while we were standing around holding our dicks! By the Gods, say that again! I'll kick your Snotty rear end!"

Snotlout leapt to his feet as Tuffnut shouldered Astrid out of the way. Astrid stumbled and almost fell. Tuffnut was livid.

"I'll say that again!" Snotlout roared. "Who do you think you are, you little skinny maggot?! How dare you insult the future chief of Berk!?"

"If you're ever MY chief I'll go fight for the Bog Burglars!" Tuffnut yelled. "That's how much respect I have for you! Holy Thor, take that back about Hiccup or I'll fight you right here!"

A crowd was gathering. Tuffnut and Snotlout were standing in the middle of the muddy street, staring at each other. Snotlout was leering from his taller and bigger frame, but Tuffnut, smaller and thinner, was glaring savagely right back at him.

"I challenge you, Tuffnut Thorston," Snotlout spat. "I'll destroy you, and you'll admit I'm a better Viking than Hiccup was. Got it?"

"I'll never admit that."

"Then you accept my challenge?"

"I do!"

"A fight!" Someone yelled. In a twinkling a huge crowd of Vikings appeared. Astrid was standing right next to the two boys, and she was staring. Tuffnut was acting meaner than she had ever seen before, and Snotlout was even being more of an ass than usual.

A huge hand grabbed Astrid's shoulder and moved her away from the two boys. Turning, Astrid looked up and saw the Bashem Island heiress, Bashhead.

"Better stick away from those two," Bashhead rumbled, throwing a thick arm over Astrid's shoulder. "They're about to kill each other."

Astrid had never seen a girl as enormous as Bashhead. She had a long brown hair under a huge helmet with a human skull attached to the top. However, despite her ferocious appearance, she had very pleasant eyes.

Snotlout was talking. "Swords or fists, slime bucket?"

Tuffnut laughed. "Fists!"

"FISTS!" Snotlout roared. The crowd of Vikings thundered their approval. Astrid saw Fishlegs and Thuggory push their way to the front of the crowd. They were together – they had been talking. That was interesting. Then Astrid saw Mogadon towering over the group. It looked like this fight was going to have quite the audience.

Snotlout and Tuffnut were unstrapping their weapons. It was to be an all-fists and muscle fight. No weapons allowed.

"The skinny boy doesn't have a chance," Bashhead told Astrid, her arm still draped across Astrid's shoulders. "He shouldn't have chosen fists. Snotlout is heavier than he is, and if he gets on top of the skinny boy, he is doomed. Who is the skinny boy, anyway? He's got balls – for a man."

Astrid managed a smile. "He's Tuffnut Thorston," she replied. "He's crazy."

"He's badass." Bashhead grinned. "I like a man who picks a fight he can't win – it shows he defends what he thinks is right."

"True," Astrid admitted.

Snotlout, with the crowd of Vikings cheering, turned and handed his sword and axe to a bystander. Tuffnut twirled his spear off his back and turned and handed it to his sister. Ruffnut took the spear and whispered fiercely at him.

"You're an idiot, Tuff! You'll get killed by him!"

"I know." Tuffnut was calm. "But I don't care. I'm sure as fire gonna try. I'll be back soon, Ruff."

"Don't get killed. No one would be there to ride Belch with me."

"I'll try." Tuffnut turned back to the middle of the circle.

Snotlout came to the center of attention, and with a fist pump, stripped off his shirt. The crowd cheered, but Astrid sneered with disgust. He was muscular, but also fat. Like most Vikings. And his hairy, beefy chest was disgusting.

Tuffnut, laughing like a maniac, took off his shirt too, and got jeered. He was skinny and looked frail. However, Bashhead nodded approvingly.

"He's wiry. A strong but skinny one. Like my father."

"He's still going to lose, though," Astrid cursed. "And Snotlout will win! Curse it, I should have fought him instead."

"You'd win all right." Bashhead chuckled. "I've heard about you. Astrid Hofferson, the best warrior Vikingdom has ever seen. That's you, right?"

"Not quite true," Astrid said, blushing with the praise. "I mean, the best warriors don't cry, do they? Look at me."

"Bosh!" Bashhead laughed. "All the best warriors cry. It's what helps make them the best."

Astrid smiled, but then her attention was turned back to the ring. Tuffnut and Snotlout, shirts off and fists raised, were circling one another.

"If you want to admit that I'm a better Viking than Hiccup now, you can do so, and save yourself a thrashing," Snotlout bragged.

"No." Tuffnut had a crazy grin on. "I think not. In fact, take THAT!"

He whipped his right fist forward and caught Snotlout right on the jaw. The crowd roared in amazement as Snotlout reeled in pain, backing up a step.

In a second Tuffnut was on him. He fired punch after punch at Snotlout, hammering him haphazardly with both fists. Snotlout, covering his face, was being beaten back.

"Oh my Thor!" Bashhead was cheering. "He's fighting like a wildcat! Tuffnut! Tuffnut! TUFFNUT!"

However, right after Bashhead cheered, Tuffnut got unlucky. He stepped in a big spot of mud and lost his balance. He fell flat on his back with a splat.

Snotlout, blinking away the pain, saw his chance. He leapt on top of the fallen Tuffnut, pinning him with his knees and sitting on top of him. Tuffnut tried to wriggle free, but Snotlout was too heavy. Tuffnut was helpless.

Grinning triumphantly, Snotlout raised his fist. He slugged Tuffnut in the face, once, twice, three times. Tuffnut's arms were pinned and he could do nothing to resist. Astrid bit her lip in rage as Snotlout kept brutally hammering the smaller boy. Then he stopped, and sat back.

Astrid nearly lost control at seeing Tuffnut's face. It was bruised black and purple, his nose was bleeding like a fountain, and his lips and teeth were smashed into one another. But he was still conscious.

"Do you admit that I am a better Viking than Hiccup?" Snotlout asked gleefully.

Tuffnut laughed. It was the most eerie and unnerving sound Astrid had ever heard. He was cackling like a demon.

"No!" he screamed. "Hiccup was awesome! You are NOT!"

Snotlout punched Tuffnut again. And again. And again. Snotlout kept raining powerful blows down on Tuffnut's face. Astrid was expecting the boy to lose consciousness at any time, but he never did. After about twenty more solid thumps, Snotlout stopped.

"Do you admit that I am a better Viking than Hiccup?!" He roared.

"Never!" Tuffnut screamed, spitting out broken teeth and blood. "You beat me, but that doesn't change the truth! Hiccup was a real Viking! You are nothing! You hear me! Nothing!"

Astrid turned her face away as Snotlout started to beat Tuffnut once more. It was sickening. Blood was running all over Tuffnut's face, his hair was filthy with mud, and he was getting beaten to death. She couldn't watch.

"Stop it!" Ruffnut screamed, from the edge of the crowd. She was crying. "Stop it! You'll kill him! Stop it!"

Snotlout, after a few more punches, stopped. "Do you admit that I am a better Viking than Hiccup?!" He screamed, for the third time.

"NO!" Tuffnut yelled. "NEVER!"

Snotlout looked sick. He didn't know what to do. If he kept hitting Tuffnut he would kill him, and he didn't have the stomach for that. But he needed to show everyone that he had won the fight. So instead he scooped up and handful of mud.

"Did I beat you!?" He yelled at Tuffnut.

"YES!" Tuffnut yelled. "But I'm not gonna say it!"

"Then eat DIRT!" Snotlout roared, and slammed the handful of mud into Tuffnut's mouth.

The crowd gasped in awe as Tuffnut gagged on the mud. Snotlout, his fists a bloody mess, got up from Tuffnut's fallen form and strode off to retrieve his weapons. There was no cheering for him. Everyone was staring at Tuffnut.

He was beaten so badly that he looked unhuman. He looked like a rotting creature. His face was bleeding all over, his skin was a combination of green and purple, and his lips were mashed flatter than a pancake. His teeth were so broken that Astrid couldn't see a whole one. And he was spitting out mud. He tried to sit up, but then his whole body shuddered and he fell, utterly limp.

"My God." Bashhead was staring, her brown eyes wide with shock. "He is dead."

Ruffnut, her face pale as death, ran into the ring. She grabbed Tuffnut's still form and shook it.

"Tuffnut!" She screamed. "Tuffnut!"

Astrid was rooted to the spot. Tuffnut was not moving. He looked like he was really and truly dead.

Then Thuggory the Meathead leapt into the circle. "Get back, everyone!" he roared. "Get back!"

He grabbed Ruffnut and threw her aside. Then he seized Tuffnut's head, opened his mouth, and, with a finger, cleared out all the mud, blood, and broken teeth. Then, to the astonishment of everyone, he bent his mouth down to Tuffnut's and breathed into it. Then he pulled up, laid his hands on Tuffnut's chest, and pushed, three times. Then he breathed in Tuffnut's mouth again and repeated. He did it again. And again. Still Tuffnut did not move.

All of a sudden Tuffnut coughed and spluttered, and the crowd of Vikings gasped.

Thuggory, ceasing his operation, pulled Tuffnut to a sitting position and pounded him on the back with a Tuffnut coughed and spat out a mess of broken teeth, blood, and dirt.

"Holy Odin," he said slowly, holding his chest. "I feel like shit."

"Tuffnut!" Ruff screamed joyfully, and tackled him with a fierce embrace. "I hate you, Tuff! Don't scare me like that, EVER!"

Tuffnut was too tired to say anything. But Thuggory got to his feet. His deep blue eyes were blazing. In two big steps he walked up to Snotlout.

"What the HEL is wrong with you!" Thuggory roared. "You almost killed one of your own tribe! What kind of an heir are you! A good chief NEVER has to fight one of his own! A chief PROTECTS his own! This man you just beat was right! You are a disgrace to Vikingdom!"

Snotlout looked both scared and angry. "No one tells me what to do!" he said.

"I DO!" Thuggory shouted. He reached out and lifted Snotlout off the ground by his neck. "Holy Thor, you are pathetic! NO! If you make me angry with you again, for ANY REASON AT ALL, I will rip you limb from limb and feed you to the gulls, you chicken-hearted, seaweed brained, limpet eating PIG!"*

He flung Snotlout to the mud, and then turned and walked back to Tuffnut. Grabbing him under the arms, he lifted Tuff to his feet.

"This," Thuggory boomed, holding Tuffnut's hand aloft, "Is a REAL Viking hero!"

"YEAH!" Bashhead roared in agreement. "TUFFNUT! TUFFNUT!"

The whole crowd then began to chant Tuffnut's name. Thuggory, aided by Ruffnut, helped Tuffnut up to Gothi's hut. He was seriously injured. However, the crowd was cheering Tuffnut.

And sending ugly looks at Snotlout.

High Asgard, Day 13 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup and Thor roared with laughter.

"Good one!" Thor chuckled, pounding Hiccup on the back. "You just said, 'Duh da da – we're dead?' HA HA!"

Hiccup chuckled a few more times, while wincing at the thump he got from Thor. They were walking down a red-carpeted and golden walled hallway, with armed guards flanking them. Thor acted as if he owned the place. However, he probably did. Hiccup spoke.

"Yeah. I mean, I was just making a joke out of a VERY serious situation. I mean, I thought I was dead. But then I hopped on Toothless, we went and swooped Astrid up, and spun her through the stars. She kissed me that night and the rest was history."

"Well, good for you, Master Hiccup." Thor smiled. "I've never found the perfect girl, trust me. I really don't even know what I'm looking for. She has to be pretty, feisty, and bold. Also she has to be able to surprise me. That's my kind of girl."

Hiccup grinned. "And in all of your eighty-plus girls, not one of them is good enough for you?"

"I just haven't found the one yet," Thor sighed.

"Maybe you're just too arrogant to see that these girls are all what you've been looking for."

"Well, then I'm looking for the girl that will slap me and tell me I'm too arrogant!" Thor laughed.

Hiccup laughed with him. "All right, Thor, you're hopeless. So where are we going again?"

"Step in and see!" Thor and Hiccup had arrived at a large golden gate. Thor raised his hammer and tapped on the door three times. It opened on its own, and Hiccup gasped.

He was standing in the most beautiful place he had ever seen. It was a domed room that was walled with jewels and diamonds. Light glittered and danced off of all the different angles, fleeting around the circular area in a marvelous, beautiful pattern. In the very center of the room there stood a golden globe with a large colorful spike emerging from the top. There was a silver door in the center of the globe, and a single guard, with white wings on the side of his golden helm, stood silently beside it.

Thor grinned. "Welcome to the famous and glorious chamber of the BiFrost!"

Hiccup was still standing in awe, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"A single jewel on this wall is worth more than the entire archipelago you came from," Thor announced.

Hiccup found his voice. "I never could have dreamed of seeing so much wealth in a single place."

"Well, you're not dreaming, if that's any comfort," Thor chuckled. "Come, we are to use this BiFrost to send us to the High World of Valhalla."

Hiccup nodded. "To see Freyja. All right, let's go."

Thor placed his hand on Hiccup's shoulder and the pair walked forward. Their footsteps echoed in the dome as they approached the lone sentinel that stood by the door. They came directly in front of the guard, and stopped.

"Hail, Lord Thor." The guard whispered. He spoke so quietly, but with so much authority and power that Hiccup was astounded. "How can I help you?"

Hiccup could not see the eyes of the guard behind his golden helmet. However, he wasn't sure he wanted to.

"Greetings, Lord Heimdall," Thor smiled. "We are required to use the BiFrost to send us to Valhalla. If you would."

Heimdall turned to Hiccup. "And who is this?" He still spoke in the quiet, firm tone that he had used before.

"This is the new Riddari in training, Hiccup Haddock from Midgard." Thor replied.

"Oh!" Heimdall's voice turned cold, but a hint of humor showed also. "So you are the one who has been constantly taunting and laughing at my guards?"

Hiccup blinked. "Your guards?"

"Lord Heimdall is the Captain of the Guards of Asgard," Thor explained. "He monitors and oversees the guards."

"Ah." Hiccup grinned. "Yes, Lord Heimdall, I have been teasing your guards. They never speak! I did it for fun at first, but then I did it to keep me sane while I was being tortured beyond compare. Now I am doing it for fun again."

Heimdall chuckled, a deep rumble that sounded quite merry. "Fascinating. Trust me, Riddari, they DO speak, for they have been giving me much complaint about how irritating you are. Being assigned to guard any area that the new Riddari walks by has become an unsavory task. My guards say they have often wanted to run a spear through your ugly freckled face."

"Well, all I ever asked from them was a little friendly conversation," Hiccup grumbled.

"Oh really?" Heimdall chuckled. "I beg to differ. Teaching them the alphabet, for instance?"

"Oh, pshaw!" Hiccup grinned. "But that was funny."

"I'm sure."

"Really, do they get irritated THAT much?" Hiccup asked.

"You'd be surprised," Heimdall admitted.

"Then maybe I should stop."

Heimdall shrugged. "I really do not care. It will add a little challenge to their daily duties."

"All right. Then I will keep doing it." Hiccup smiled. "And tell the ones that grabbed me after I attacked Aiah that they pack a punch."

Heimdall looked confused. "Aiah?"

"Oh, I named her that." Hiccup waved a hand. "The purple eyed girl."

"That mysterious seer?"

"Right. You know I was mad, and broke out of my room and strangled her about a week ago."

"I heard. My guards had to use their own judgement and not attack you lest you kill her." Heimdall tilted his head slightly. "If I may ask, what made you so out of control?"

"Well," Hiccup said, his mind growing dark just thinking of it, "In Ragnarok – that is the training room – they do horrible things to a person. They create demons that you have to battle with both your mind and body."

"What kind of demons?" Heimdall sounded interested.

"Well, imagine this." Hiccup tried to explain. "Take your worst fear, Lord Heimdall. What is it?"

"I fear nothing." Heimdall stated.

Hiccup stared. "Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"Everyone fears something. The elvish soldiers are terrified of Gods and Goddesses. Thor is afraid of Loki. Odin is afraid of me. Aiah is afraid of many things. Some people are even afraid of mice. Everyone has fear. You must fear SOMETHING, Lord Heimdall."

"I fear nothing."

Hiccup blinked. He turned to look at Thor. Thor only nodded.

"If there is anyone that is afraid of nothing, it is Lord Heimdall," Thor stated. "He is certainly one of a kind."

"Well then," Hiccup said to Heimdall, "You should try Ragnarok. You'd do well."

Heimdall accepted the praise with an incline of his head. "Thank you, Riddari Hiccup. However, we are wasting time. You wish to travel by BiFrost, Lord Thor?"

"That we do." Thor draped a muscular arm around Hiccup. "We must go to Valhalla. Freyja awaits us."

"So be it." Heimdall turned and placed an enormous key in the silver door of the globe. In a twinkling the door slide open, revealing a spacious purple-carpeted ball with a table in the middle. Taking a deep breath, Thor stepped in, followed by Hiccup.

The door closed behind them.


	23. no dragons in Valhalla

Chapter 23: No Dragons in Valhalla

Valhalla Gate, Day 13 since Hiccup's Departure

"Who ssssstandssssss before the ssssacred Gate of Valhalla?"

The voice was quiet and raspy, and the speaker was even more so. His face looked like melted wax, which pooled in crinkled dry skin around his cheekbones and chin. His appearance was entirely disgusting, but his eyes were shiny, pure gold, and burned like a pair of suns. The same eyes bored into Hiccup and Thor, who stood rigidly in front of the Valhalla gate.

"We have come on request to see Freyja," Thor stated. Even the giant God seemed cowed by the creature who addressed them. "We ask that the gate be opened for the living Thor Odinsson, and Hiccup Haddock."

"And why mussssst you sssssee me firssst?"

"Because this act has never been done before," Thor stated. "Letting a mortal man into Valhalla is unprecedented. Since you are the Warden of the Gate, we were ordered to see you first before permitting this mortal, our Riddari Hiccup, to enter the sacred Kingdom which you guard so well."

The shriveled man-like being turned to stare at Hiccup. As his bright eyes met Hiccup's shining green, the person's eyes glowed with an even more intense fire than before. Hiccup, while feeling eerily uncomfortable, met the wizened creature's gaze.

For a full ten seconds the creature stared at Hiccup, then blinked slowly, as if he understood something.

"No mortal hassss entered Valhalla," he stated with his raspy hiss. "And no mortal ever will. Go insssside."

Thor hesitated. "Hiccup here is a mortal," he said slowly. "And you just said no mortals are allowed. So how can we lawfully go inside?"

"No thissss one isss not a mortal," the creature hissed. "No mortalssss go in, but thisssss 'Hiccup' isssss not that. You both may go freely."

The creature faded away, his ugly, wizened face disintegrating into dust.

Thor blinked. "That is incredibly odd," he muttered, turning to Hiccup. "The Warden says you are no mortal."

Hiccup was also staring in surprise. "That doesn't make sense," he said slowly. "Last time I checked, I'm a human through and through."

Thor chuckled. He clapped Hiccup on the shoulder. "Well, my boy, welcome to Godship!" He laughed. "That thing has been guarding the Valhalla gate for too long. His mind must be befuddled. I will tell my father of his negligence. But we were granted access, and that is all that matters for now. Let us go see Freyja."

Hiccup took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

"Remember," Thor said cautiously, turning and placing a strong hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "You will not lose your temper. You will not make demands. You will under NO circumstanceswhatevermention Toothless or the Hydra. Is that clear?"

Hiccup nodded. "Crystal."

"Then into Valhalla we go."

Thor raised his powerful arm and pushed open the Valhalla Gate.

Immediately Hiccup's ears picked up the melodies of sweet, awe-inspiring music, which drifted throughout the chambers with the lazy serenity of droplets caught in a soft breeze. A smell so beautiful that nothing could compare reached Hiccup's nose. All this they could hear, and yet they were only standing in a small round courtyard, surrounded by golden-clad guards with purple gems on their breasts and living white wings on their helms.

But the music and singing was the most fascinating part of the scene. It was alluring, tugging on Hiccup's soul. He felt like he could lie down on the jeweled golden floor and remain forever, in peace.

"Come this way." Thor interrupted his thoughts with his voice, which was quiet and solemn. "We will go directly to Freyja before we get enchanted by this confounded melody."

"Is it always like this?" Hiccup asked, hurrying along with Thor. "That music is hypnotizing me, and the smell is simply astounding."

Thor looked at Hiccup quietly. "Maybe the Warden was not wrong about you being a God," he said. "Mortals are not supposed to be able to withstand that music and singing, but you can. It takes enormous focus to resist the temptations of the Otherworld, which is what that music and scent is. However, your training has already taught you great self-control, so perhaps that is why you can resist the power Valhalla exudes."

Hiccup shrugged. "It must be that. My damned training with The Wolf certainly forced me to be able to control my emotions and blot out things. Maybe I do it instinctively now."

"So," Thor went on in a less serious tone, "What do you think of Valhalla?"

"It's awe-inspiring." Hiccup spoke with unqualified awe. "It's – it's beautiful."

"Well, think one last time about beauty," Thor told him, "and remember that the Goddess you are about to see was at one time the most beautiful of all beings."

"Why do you tell me to remember that?" Hiccup asked, confused. He peered up through the misty haze at Thor.

"Because you will find it difficult to believe," Thor told him. "Enter and see."

Together Hiccup and Thor stepped through one final doorway and found themselves in a large circular room. There were no guards, and the only being in the chamber besides Hiccup and Thor was a woman, high above them, on a white, opaque throne. For this indeed was no woman. It was Freyja, Goddess of the Dead and of the Valhalla Realm.

Hiccup was indeed shocked to believe that this Goddess had at one time been beautiful. In fact, he was hard pressed to admit that she was a woman at all. For without a doubt she was one for the ugliest beings Hiccup had ever seen.

Freyja was enormous. She stood at least twelve feet tall and almost twice as broad as Thor himself. Her hair, which was kept in a large ponytail behind her back, was coal black and braided. Rusty iron rings encircled the braid. Her face was a whitish grey pallor, her eyes were sunken, and her entire sockets were painted black with kohl. Her face was also dirty, and she wore a grimy, ugly, brown and grey dress with rusty iron buttons and bracelets. It was without a doubt the most unappealing thing Hiccup had ever seen.

The sheer ugliness was such a contrast to the stunning crown that Freyja wore, however. The crown was the sole item that was beautiful about the Goddess. It was golden and bedecked in jewels and diamonds of all kinds and shapes, most of which Hiccup and never even heard of. However, that was the only thing likeable. Even the golden sword she wore at her waist was dulled. It also looked extremely old, overused, and unimpressive.

Hiccup and Thor came up to the base of the stairs that led up to the throne and stopped. Thor knelt and so did Hiccup.

"Do what I do," Thor muttered at Hiccup, and pulled Mjolnir, his magic hammer, from his belt. Hiccup, watching Thor intently, drew Hicca. Together, on their knees, they raised their weapons into the air.

"Hail Freyja, Goddess of Valhalla, Lord and Keeper of the Brave Deceased," Thor announced. Hiccup mouthed the words with him.

"Rise," Freyja boomed. Her voice was so powerful that the air literally shook around Hiccup and Thor. Hiccup's hair billowed in the breeze that was the sheer force of her words.

It was a tone that utterly commanded obedience. Hiccup and Thor obeyed. They rose to their feet and retuned their weapons to their spots. Hicca clinked softly against Hiccup's back as he sheathed it, and Hiccup mentally noted that he was glad the sword was there. Something was very menacing about Freyja, like a bent bow ready to release at any second.

Thor was speaking.

"You requested to see the human that we have taken from Midgard," he stated. "As we understand, a ship has been burned for him and you must be aware of his actual existence. Well, here he is. Riddari Hiccup Haddock of Midgard."

Freyja transferred her dark, withering gaze to Hiccup.

"Riddari?" She sneered. The voice had not lost its power. Hiccup was blasted with the raw dominance of her speech. "Riddari. So it is true. You are adragon rider."

The voice was so contemptuous and bitter that Hiccup was stunned. He felt nothing but hatred radiating from Freyja. The Goddess was going on.

"I wish you had in fact died, Riddari Hiccup. Then I would have the pleasure of denying you rights to eternal life in my domain. What a useless worm you are."

Hiccup bristled at the use of the word Useless. He fought back the urge to draw Hicca and attack Freyja on the spot.

"Based on what I have already seen of you," he said harshly, "I would think I might rather be in Helheim."

"Riddari!" Thor barked, laying a hand on his magic hammer Mjolnir. Freyja purpled with rage.

"Insolence!" she spat at Hiccup, ignoring Thor. "By my sword, I have not been spoken to like that, EVER! Who are you to insult a Goddess in such an abrasive and belligerent manner?"

"I am Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, son of Stoick the Vast, Warden of the Berkian Seas, Captain of Asgard in training, and aprouddragon rider." Hiccup bared his teeth. "And I would give my soul to the demons of Helheim themselves rather than permit myself to be ruled by your unfounded dragon hatred."

Thor winced.

Freyja got to her feet slowly, the golden floor creaking under her enormous weight. "By the Gods," she whispered, her black lips barely moving. "You come in here with the arrogance of Loki himself! How dare you! You affront me in my own domain?"

Hiccup's hand was creeping towards the hilt of Hicca on his back. "I do."

"You have NO right to do so! Nor have you a right to debate with ME! The dragons are all evil! They were born to the world to cause death and destruction, they are Evil Incarnate! And yet you come in here and are proud to be a dragon-lover!?"

"I am. And you should be a 'dragon-lover' too." Hiccup took a deep breath. "After all, a mother should love her offspring. You are the mother of two such dragons."

"RIDDARI!" Thor roared.

Freyja glared, but her brows raised. "I gave birth to a demon!" She screamed. "A horrible, disgusting beast that was killed at once! It is dead! I have no children!"

"You have two children." Hiccup was icy cold. "That demon you gave birth to was killed by your brother, Freyr, that is true, but the blood from that creature transformed into two dragon eggs, which hatched. You now have two sons. Dragon sons. You are the mother of MY dragon, the Night Fury Toothless. You are also the mother of the Hydra, who lives in the realm of Helheim."

"No, Hiccup," Thor whispered. "You FOOL."

Freyja was gawking. For a full ten seconds she stared, trying to comprehend what Hiccup had just told her. Then she whirled upon Thor.

"Is this TRUE?!" She screamed at him.

"Weeell," Thor fiddled with his hammer. "Technically -"

"IT IS!" Freyja leapt from her seat. "YOU KNEW OF THIS, YOU ASGARDIAN GOD SLIME! WHY DID ODIN AND YOUR PATHETIC COUNCIL CONCEAL THIS FROM ME!?"

"We thought it necessary to maintain the illusion…"

"SILENCE!" Freyja was enraged. "YOU AND YOUR FATHER DARED HIDE THIS FROM ME! I WILL SPEAK WITH YOUR COUNCIL AND WITH ODIN! HE WILL REGRET THIS!"

"Freyja!" Hiccup barked. "Do not waste your words with useless ranting. Are you that primitive? Let us talk reasonably."

Freyja ceased her tirade to whirl upon the small rider.

"While I know you dislike me," Hiccup said, "You do owe me that knowledge, that you are a mother. I was not supposed to tell you that, but I did so because, since you were their mother, I felt you deserved to know. It was valuable information, no one can deny that. So I would like to ask a boon in return."

Freyja was staring, her lips still trembling with fury. Hiccup went on.

"As you know, the people of my village, my tribe, think I am dead. I can't have that. They need to know I'm alive, or war will rage among the tribes and Astrid will be brokenhearted. In return for the information I gave you, I ask that you send a message back to my village so that they can be aware that I still live."

As Hiccup began to talk Freyja's scowl had gotten deeper, and when he was finished she was purple with rage.

"You think that I was grateful for that?" She whispered. Her tone was deadly quiet. "If so, then you are mistaken. I HATED that. I HATE dragons. I HATE you. You are the scum of the worlds. You side with dragons, you scorn the Gods, and, after ALL THAT, you have the AUDACITY to ask me for a BOON? My answer is NOOOO!"

She screamed so loud that Thor grunted and covered his ears. Hiccup, however, stubbornly gritted his teeth and met Freyja's gaze with a cool and calm attitude. However, his eyes blazed with rage.

Freyja ceased her scream. Hiccup spoke, and in that moment his voice carried all the power and authority of the Gods themselves.

"You are nothing but a disgrace, Freyja," he spat. "By the Gods. Valhalla exists so that the courageous, the just, and the loyal shall be rewarded in everlasting celebration. The dragons are everything that we can ask for. They are faithful to the point of death, and make humans and even Gods look petty and weak. Dragons are the greatest creatures to ever exist, and they deserve the honor of Valhalla more than any other, and certainly more than scum like YOU!"

Freyja roared with rage. She leapt down from her golden throne and wrenched her massive broadsword off her waist. Thor shouted in warning.

Hiccup was a step ahead. As Freyja hurled herself at him from above, he whipped his hand up to the pommel of Hicca and drew the sword free with a ring. Freyja's great leap from the throne to the floor was just ending, and she had her sword raised to cleave him in two.

Hiccup sidestepped, and the giant blade of Freyja's legendary Sword of Death struck the jeweled floor with an enormous crash.

Hiccup wasted no time in retaliating, although the floor was shaking with the power of Freyja's blow. Spinning around, he drove the point of Hicca towards the huge Goddess' abdomen. In stunned shock that Hiccup had even tried to fight back, she raised the Sword of Death and barely deflected the attack. Hiccup reacted by coolly reversing his cut and taking a backhanded swipe at Freyja's face.

This time he got luckier. Freyja leaned back in an attempt to dodge, but Hiccup's assault was just too quick. The sword smashed against her decorated crown, the only beautiful thing that Freyja wore. The crown cracked in two, and scattered emeralds and jewels fell to the floor. Freyja, clutching her forehead, reeled from the blow.

In a flash Hiccup was on her, his pent up rage and frustration blazing as he vigorously pressed his attack. Using Alaedlar's advice, he did not aim first for the head or chest. Instead, since Freyja was off balance, her grip on her sword would be weak.

Hiccup struck.

As Freyja swung her sword arm trying to regain her footing, Hicca slashed across the under part of her forearm. Blood, a Goddesses' blood, splashed, and Freyja cried out in pain even as the Sword of Death fell to the floor.

It never hit the floor. Hiccup dropped to one knee and caught the enormous blade. It was astonishingly light for its size, and Hiccup wielded it in his left hand as if it was a feather. With the Sword of Death itself, he slashed Freyja across the legs.

The Goddess screamed and fell to her knees in front of Hiccup. Hiccup, his green eyes blazing, his long brown hair billowing behind his head, and his face hardened with rage, raised the Sword of Death. Freyja was on her knees before him, and he swung her own sword to decapitate her.

Thor, who had been standing by, watching in shock, finally found his voice – and his hammer. With a shout of terror, he seized Mjolnir from his belt.

"Kveykva!" He roared, and pointed the hammer at the Sword of Death, even as it descended toward Freyja's neck.

A blast of raw energy soared from the hammer and enveloped the Sword of Death, inches before it struck Freyja's head from her shoulders. The swing stopped. With another roared command from Thor the lightning transferred from the blade to Hiccup's arm and then to his body. Hiccup screamed in pain, and was locked in a massive outflow of power.

"BiFrost!" Thor yelled, and with a flash of dark light, winds whirled around both Hiccup and Thor, and they vanished into thin air.

Berk, Day 13 since Hiccup's Departure

Stoick the Vast hammered his axe on the table.

"Silence!" He roared.

The entire Hall of people went immediately still at Stoick's bull-like roar. Astrid, from her seat next to Ruffnut, looked up at the long table of chiefs, over which Stoick was presiding. All the other royalty were seated with him as well.

"We have some important information to discuss this afternoon," Stoick boomed. "We are to leave to attack the Bog this evening, and before we do, some things must be made crystal clear."

He rose to his feet.

"What just happened in this village was absolutely outrageous. No Viking should EVER be attacking one of his own or one of his allies, especially to the point of death, as this almost was. It was disgraceful. From now on anyone who fights one of his own will be immediately executed. Is that clear!"

It was not a question. And it was clear.

"Good." Stoick rumbled, and spoke again. "Onto more important matters. Our leadership. The chieftains have all decided we need a general to supervise all the army. Ordinarily I would appoint the famed Chief Elcroy," here Stoick nodded to the thin chief, "But we cannot have a chieftain fill this role since he is responsible for his entire village and cannot afford to care for the whole army as well. We needed a commoner, one who has no such prior responsibilities. So we have appointed Fishlegs Ingerman as our Battle General for the war."

There was a stirring and whispering. Stoick pointed at Fishlegs in the crowd.

"Come up here, Ingerman."

Fishlegs looked confused, but he did not look nervous. He showed no awkwardness at all as he went up to the front of the hall, in front of all the leaders.

"Ingerman." Stoick was solemn. "We have all placed our trust in YOU as a leader. We must be able to rely on you to win. Can you do that?"

A curled grin came over Fishleg's face. He glanced around at the hall.

"With what I have," Fishlegs smiled, "I can do anything. Give me two hours with our enemies, with these men and their dragons, and I will burn Bog Burglar Island to the ground."

Astrid raised her eyebrows. Fishlegs was fierce. And he was confident.

Stoick smiled. "Good. Then we should emerge victorious if their allies have not yet arrived."

"We will." Fishlegs chuckled.

"Good." Stoick smiled. "I think you will be a great General, Fishlegs."

"I hope so." Fishlegs nodded. "However, if I am to make this army perform at its highest potential, I need to be assured I have the loyalty of the Chiefs. I need to be sure that any orders I give will be obeyed and carried out without question, regardless of what they may be. I may be asking you to send some of your men to die, and I need NO resistance in that aspect. Can I be assured of that?"

Stoick looked at the other chiefs. "I give you my loyalty, for one." Stoick raised his hand.

Thuggory the Meathead raised his strong arm. "I will."

Mogadon and Megadeath did the same. "The Meatheads will obey any reasonable order without question, and fight with power." Mogadon asserted.

Chief Elcroy from Bashem Island raised his hand, and his wife and daughter did the same. "We also will follow you," Elcroy said in his calm quiet manner. "I have seen the notebook you used when you attacked the Bog two days ago, and I was most impressed. That plan was intelligent, ruthless, and masterful. I would be more than willing trust you with my tribe in a battle situation."

Fishlegs bowed. "If I have your approval, Chief Elcroy, then I cannot fail."

He turned and went to sit down again.

Then Thuggory the Meathead rose to his feet.

"I have something to say," he told the hall. "Back when Hiccup was on my island, he and I were like brothers. Together we made a deal. If we were ever to fight side by side in a war, I would be his wingman. We would fly together, die together, and we would have each other's backs through thin and thick." Thuggory paused. "But he's not here. My point is, I made an agreement with Hiccup. So I want to choose one from one of you Berkians in honor of that pact."

Everyone sat at attention, and Thuggory spoke again. "I know no one can match Hiccup," he stated. "But I want a wingman who is not necessarily the best fighter. I want one who is loyal and steadfast, bold and fierce. I have one in mind."

The whole Hall was silent, and Astrid was very interested. She might be the one.

"I choose Tuffnut Thorston." Thuggory said.

The crowds gasped, and all eyes turned to the bruised and bandaged Tuffnut, who was still slumped at a table.

"Tuffnut." Thuggory grinned. "I saw you today. I saw you get your ass handed to you, but you didn't give a shit. You didn't care who won. You just knew you were right and stood by your choice to the end. You almost died. When I saw that I knew that you were a great Viking. So I want you to ride with me. Ride by my side for this war."

Tuffnut was staring.

"Thug, I'm not a fighter," he stammered.

"You are a fighter." Thuggory grinned. "Perhaps you are not the best one with skill in fists or blades, but you have skills of a different kind. You are the best fighter I've seen so far."

"I – I ride a Zippleback with my sister," Tuffnut said. "I would have to ride with her, too."

"Very well." Thuggory sat down again. "You both shall ride with me."

"YEAH!" Ruffnut shouted, from her seat next to Astrid. "WOOHOO! I get to ride with Hottie!"

The whole Hall burst out laughing, and Thuggory buried his face in his hands.

"Well, let's put THAT nonsense behind us," Stoick chuckled, rising to his feet. "We ride for the Bog in three hours. We stop at the island just outside it and rest the dragons. Then we strike, in the morning on the second day. By then Fishlegs will have devised a battle strategy and we will attack. Is that clear?"

No one said anything.

"Then this Council is dismissed." Stoick hammered his axe on the table.

There was an enormous shuffling as everyone got to their feet. Astrid, however, remained sitting, with her hands clenched over her cup of ale.

The whole crowd of Vikings left, leaving her sitting there with her lips pressed tight. These had been bitter pills to swallow. First, Fishlegs had been promoted and she was ignored. Then Thuggory had picked, of all people, TUFFNUT as his wingman, a high honor. She was still just a soldier – a useless, normal, soldier.

Footsteps sounded in front of her, and Astrid looked up wearily. It was Thuggory, and padding beside him was a giant grey wolf. Astrid stared and started to get up, gaping at the beast.

"Oh, no!" Thuggory said, reaching down and taking her arm. "Don't you be standing right now. I only just learned after the funeral that you were injured. Arrow wounds are petty but they can be painful. Don't even think about standing up for me."

Astrid sank back down. "It's nothing," she said, her voice tired. "It's actually almost fully healed already. Gothi looked at it today."

Thuggory nodded, and sat next to Astrid with a groan.

"What is that wolf doing here!?" Astrid asked, staring in awe at the beast, which laid down beside Thuggory's chair.

Thuggory looked surprised and then laughed. "Oh, you never met her! This is my boy Killer. He's my battle companion and my friend. He rides with me to war, and can fight like a demon."

"I remember now," Astrid said quietly. "Hiccup told me you had a pet wolf."

Thuggory nodded, and then stretched. "Oooooh I'm stiff," he groaned. "Too much flying for me. But I guess I shouldn't be complaining to you. You've flown to the Bog twice in like, a week."

Astrid nodded glumly. "And I only plan on going one last time."

"Damn right." Thuggory turned angry. "Killing Hiccup in cold blood. Camicazi will pay for this. I think I'll cut her fingers off before I kill her."

Astrid gripped Thuggory's arm. "You leave Camicazi be," she commanded stonily. "I don't care if she shoots Furious out from under you, you don'ttouchher. She's MINE."

Thuggory grinned. "A true shieldmaiden you are."

Astrid lifted a corner of her mouth in amusement. "More like one pissed off girlfriend."

"That too." Thuggory reached out and picked up Astrid's ale, downing a gulp of it. He made a face. "This is dogshit."

He said it with such disgust that Astrid laughed. Thuggory looked up immediately, and took in the sight. His eyes lit up with happiness.

"That's the first time I've seen you smile, Astrid."

The smile faded. "There hasn't been much to smile about recently, Thug."

"I know." Thuggory sighed. "So. I've been listening to Elcroy and Fishlegs talk all day about strategy. Holy Thor, they're smart. I can't keep up with them. The only thing I know is that I'm going to do exactly what they tell me to. With due consideration, of course."

Astrid nodded. "I think we did well to pick Fishlegs as our Battle General. He planned out raid on the Bog flawlessly. We had like a 4/0 kill ratio, whatever that means."

Thuggory chuckled. "It was flawless?"

"It was." Astrid took up the cup that Thuggory had just drank from and finished the ale, downing the 'dogshit' in one final gulp. "You seem slightly skeptical, Thug. Why? Have you seen Fishlegs make a mistake yet?"

"Weeell, he might be making one now," Thuggory said slowly. "You know, I fully understand that we need to attack the Bog immediately, but I'm not in one hundred percent approval. We're all – just - tired. All of us, except the Berkians, have been doing nothing but flying for the past three days, getting here."

Astrid nodded, taking a quick glance up into Thuggory's pleasant brown eyes.

"Speaking of tired," Thuggory continued, turning square to face Astrid. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Look, Astrid, I know about you. Everyone does. You're a fierce warrior, a real Viking. And Hiccup adored you."

Astrid looked up at Thuggory, interested.

"Yeah, he talked about you." Thuggory rubbed his chin. "He used words like 'perfect' and 'beautiful.' He was madly in love with you. And you were in love with him, I saw that today. But, Astrid, I need to tell you. No matter what you feel, no matter what you want to do to Camicazi, I need to know, as a leader, how you are. I need an honest answer. Are you tired? Are you ready to fight?"

Astrid nodded slowly, keeping her head down.

"Hey." Thuggory placed a soft hand on Astrid's chin and tilted her face up to look at him. "Are you ready?"

Astrid almost cried at how soft and caring Thuggory was. As it was, tears welled up in her eyes.

"No, really, I'm fine," she said with a smile. "My side is good, and I'll be ready to fight when the time comes. Don't worry about me, Thug."

"I'm worrying." Thuggory brushed a hair out of Astrid's face. "You know what, I shouldn't even be talking to you right now. Why don't you get some sleep, Astrid? We fly in three hours and you need to be fresh."

"I really should." Astrid managed a wry grin. "If I don't just fall asleep right here."

"Let me help you." Thuggory wrapped his strong arm around Astrid and helped her to her feet.

"I – don't need help," Astrid muttered, but Thuggory laughed and scooped her up in his arms like she was a child.

"Hey!" Astrid was offended. "Put me down!"

"A stubborn one, aren't you?" Thuggory asked, amused. "Come on, you need some sleep and you're a wreck. No arguing, I'm carrying you. Let's go."

With Astrid in his arms Thuggory walked out of the hall, Fireworm following behind them. Astrid fell asleep before he even reached her house.

North Asgard, Day 13 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup and Thor crashed to the marble floors of a hall with an enormous crash. Hiccup yelled as his head whiplashed and struck the floor, hard. Two loud clangs and a solid thump followed, as two swords and the hammer Mjolnir crashed to the ground beside them. Grunting, Hiccup laid still.

For about twenty seconds there was no movement or sound. Then, a few paces away, Thor groaned, and there was a shuffling noise as the God slowly got to his feet. Hiccup, his limbs still afire with the shock and power of Thor's red-hot lightning, used a nearby wall to help him rise, stumbling to get upright.

Blinking, his eyes still half-blinded by the flash of white light, Hiccup stared at Thor. The big God was leaning on the wall on the opposite side of an empty hallway, and he stared back. The two, God and man, looked at each other and said nothing. Then Hiccup spoke.

"I had her, damn you. Freyja was mine. I would have killed her. Why did you throw me out of there?"

Thor managed a pained chuckle. "Why? I would let you KILL a Goddess, are you mad!?"

"Why not?" Hiccup shrugged. "She's a bitch."

To Hiccup's surprise, Thor started to roar with laughter. His shoulders began to shake and he fell to his knees. It was as if he was letting out of all of his pent up tension and nervousness in one giant burst of merriment. Finally he stopped, wiped his eyes, and got back up.

"Oh dear," he chuckled. "A bitch! I always had a low opinion of Freyja, but never dared say so, and then you come in here, defeat her in combat, and call her a bitch! Oh, this is just too good!"

Thor laughed again, and then, as he bent down, he stopped and stared.

"By God," he whispered. He knelt down and picked up the shiny Sword of Death, which Hiccup had wrenched from Freyja and dropped in the transfer by BiFrost. "You stole the Sword of Death."

Hiccup finally managed a grin. "How's that for badass, huh?"

Thor rose to his feet, holding the giant blade in his right hand. "I never thought I would ever touch this weapon," he said with awe. "I don't believe it."

"What's so cool about that sword?" Hiccup asked, brushing sparkling dust off his armor. "Gee, I'm only happy I took it just as another 'fuck you' to Freyja."

Thor peered over the edge of the blade at Hiccup. "You do not know the tale behind this sword?"

"I do not," Hiccup answered. He walked over to Hicca, which was lying on the ground by a wall, and kicked it up to his hand. "I only really care aboutthissword. Sweet Hicca! You have drawn the blood of a Goddess." Hiccup affectionately wiped the sword clean on his sleeve.

Thor chuckled. "You will think twice after you hear this. The Sword of Death is one of the most powerful weapons ever forged. It – listen to this, Riddari - has the ability tobring one back from the dead."

Hiccup stopped in the middle of sheathing Hicca. "What?"

"This sword," Thor held it out reverently, "Can bring a dead being, God, man, dragon, anything, back to life." Thor flipped the sword around and held out the handle to Hiccup. "And as I said – you stole it."

Hiccup let Hicca slide into her sheath with a soft clink. Then he stepped forward to take the Sword of Death from Thor's hand.

"I have the power of reincarnation in my palm," Hiccup whispered in awe. "I can bring someone back from the dead. No way."

Thor nodded. "As long as no one takes it from you. And believe me," Thor laughed, "Freyja will want it back! She cannot leave Valhalla herself, but she will send word to Odin and he WILL take that sword from you, mark my words. You will never be allowed to keep that."

"Your father will take nothing from me," Hiccup said firmly. "No. This sword is mine and I DO intend to keep it."

"Then you'll have to hide it," Thor told him. "In a place so secret it cannot be found, for once it is established that you hid it, which it will, the entire city of Asgard will be turned upside down to find it. That sword is absolutely priceless. After all, how can one put a value on life?"

Hiccup's gaze fell. "Well, that's the thing. I have no idea where to hide it, Thor. There is no one I can trust around here. Even sweet Aiah is too loyal to Odin, she will not help me conceal it from him. Where can I put it, Thor?"

"You are trusting me." Thor raised an eyebrow.

Hiccup stepped forward and looked deep into Thor's eyes. They were golden, and shined with a deep, solemn mixture of happiness, experience, and above all, good. Hiccup saw in an instant, through the never-lying eyes, that Thor was a great God.

"I do trust you," Hiccup told him. He held the Sword of Death out once again. "Thor, take this. You know the best place to hide it. Keep it for me. Keep it safe. I feel that I was allowed to steal it for a reason. One day when I have passed my training, I will come back for it, and I'll repay you somehow. But will you hide it for me, and tell no one of it?"

Thor smiled. "If my father asks me directly if I know what happened to this sword I will have to tell him the truth," he said to Hiccup. "But he never will. As a God and his very own son, I am above suspicion." A cheeky smile came over Thor's muscular face.

Hiccup grinned. "If you will. Take it, Thor."

Thor took the Sword of Death once more. "It shall never be touched until you come and ask for it, Hiccup," he said solemnly, and bowed. Even bowing, however, made his head still three inches taller than Hiccup's.

Hiccup bowed back. Then Thor cried out in a terrible voice, and raised Mjolnir into the air. He struck the Sword of Death with a stroke of lightning, and called out in a loud voice.

"Hrjota! Leyna! Hlifa! Fara, eoa hljota koma naer ek kveoja!"

A flash of lightning came again, and this time the Sword of Death was gone.

"It has been hidden," Thor said quietly. "I have sent it to a spot that is unreachable by any mortal. Only I know where it is."

"Good." The corner of Hiccup's mouth went up. "I wonder just how much trouble I'm going to be in for causing this mess."

Thor laughed, and threw his arm around Hiccup's shoulders. Hiccup was getting tired of Thor doing it, since the weight of his muscle was outrageous.

"Getting into trouble is one of your greatest talents, my dear Hiccup," Thor chuckled. "But the thing is, you always manage to get out of it again. So be content, and forget about this. Come, I will show you something majestic."

"Majestic?" Hiccup was interested. "After seeing Valhalla, I'm not sure I can look upon much else with the same awe. Speaking of which, where are we?"

"We are in the Northern watchtower," Thor told him. "I transferred us here by BiFrost because it was the closest place. It has a great, wonderful view of my city. You have not been out, have you?"

"No," Hiccup told him. "I have seen little except a few halls and the horrible Ragnarok."

"Then come here!" Thor and Hiccup approached a window, and Thor gestured out. "Behold! The great golden city of Asgard!"

Hiccup was wrong. There was one thing more majestic than the jewels and music of Valhalla, and he was looking at it. A giant city, the size and shape of the highest mountain, loomed in front of him. It was the biggest, brightest, and most awe-inspiring thin Hiccup had ever seen. And it was ALL GOLD.

"Holy Thor," Hiccup breathed. "I had no idea this is what Asgard looked like."

"Well, what did you expect?" Thor smiled. "A wooden hall with a thatched roof? No. You are used to the poverty and bleakness of Earth, my dear friend. This is Asgard, and this is the capital. No finer city exists, except perhaps the capital of Alfheim."

"You are the heir to all this." Hiccup was stunned.

Thor shrugged. "Believe it or not, I care nothing of the pride and glory of – owning – this city. No. Merely possessing in nothing to be proud of. The only thing that matters to me is honor – doing all things justly and right. It matters not if you are born in a stable or in a palace, or own everything or own nothing. True quality lies in what you DO."

Thor gripped Hiccup's shoulder. "Which is why you will win this coming war, and Hel will not."

Hiccup looked steadily up at Thor. "I am not a hero, Thor."

"You are a hero."

"I am not able to defeat a Goddess!"

"What did I just see in there?"

Hiccup frowned. "She was angry and careless. Hel Will not be. There will be many days before I can defeat Hel."

Thor grinned. "It will come sooner than you expect."

"Well, that is a later time." Hiccup squared his shoulders. "First I have one final test to pass before I meet Toothless again. Oh, but how impatient I am! If I fail this test I will never forgive myself. Do you know what the test is?"

Thor shook his blonde head. "I do know, Hiccup, but I cannot give you a hint as to what you will undergo. I will say, however, that none of the other Riders ever failed this test. If you fail this test, you are not worthy to sit on the back of a dragon."

"Well, that's comforting," Hiccup chuckled.

"I try to be." Thor laughed. Then he grabbed Hiccup, lifted him up, raised Mjolnir, and barked a few magic phrases. Blue and gold light flashed, and the pair were transferred by BiFrost to the familiar golden halls of Asgard.

"Well, here is where I take my leave, Hiccup," Thor told Hiccup, putting him down. "And I wish you the best."

"Thank you, Thor," Hiccup extended a hand to the God. "It's been an honor."

"Nonsense," Thor laughed, shaking Hiccup's hand. "I am the one who should be honored. Defeating Freyja in a duel! I am impressed. Anyway, I hope to see you again soon. Hey!"

"What?" Hiccup asked, as Thor passed a hand over his face.

"I almost forgot!" Thor was chuckling. "You need to come to my birthday celebration tomorrow!"

Hiccup stared. "Uh, my final test is tomorrow," he said. "And besides, Asgeirr will never let me attend a party. He's an ass."

"Bosh!" Thor waved his hand. "The test is in the morning, and the party is set for the evening. You'll have plenty of time to recover before the gaieties begin."

"Time to recover?" Hiccup stepped forward at Thor. "Recover from what? What is this test, Thor? I've been so confused about it. I know it involves Dragon Iron, and now you say I will have to recover afterward? What is this?"

Thor shook his head. "No. I cannot say. I should not have mentioned anything about it. But you have to recover after pretty much any test, regardless of what it is."

Hiccup sighed. "Gee. Well, Asgeirr still won't let me go to the party, you know that."

Thor grinned. "I will speak to Asgeirr. He will let you attend."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"It's nice being a God sometimes." Thor gave Hiccup an easygoing smile. "And now I really must leave. If anyone asks me about the Sword of Death, I'll say I last saw it with you back in the tower, which is completely true."

"Well, thank you very much." Hiccup grinned. "And say, where can I find Aiah?"

Thor raised an eyebrow. "Aiah?"

"Your father's little purple eyed girl."

"Oh! Right, you named her Aiah. Much better than any other title she has been given. But yes, her private quarters are on the Second Level, right below the Gods. You've never been there, but you can find it easily enough. Just go up to the top of Asgard until you are not allowed to higher. When that happens you will be on her level, and you can find her quarters from there."

Hiccup laughed. "Right. Well, I will try to find her. She's the one of the few people on Asgard that I actually like."

"Well, have fun," Thor laughed, "And if you aren't at my birthday party tomorrow I will be very disappointed in you. It never goes well to disappoint a God."

"Well, hopefully you won't be," Hiccup chuckled. "See you, Thor."

"Godspeed, Riddari Hiccup." Thor bowed once again, and turned to go, his broad back turning into a side hall. Then he was gone.

Hiccup spent the next half hour walking up stairs and down hallways, going to the peak of the Golden City. Occasionally he would stop to look off a balcony at the glorious expanse of mountains and the great Lake of Asgard below. He had never had the opportunity to see such things before, and he blamed Asgeirr for his own seemingly deliberate lack of freedom. But he never lingered long, even when the views were breathtaking beyond what he had seen on the back of Toothless. He would soon be missed, and he wanted to spend at least some time with Aiah, the girl whom he had grown to care so much for.

At last he walked up a set of stairs and a golden-clad guard immediately blocked his path, pointing a spear at his chest. Hiccup stopped and then grinned.

"So this is the God's level?"

The guard said nothing, merely motioned Hiccup away with his spear.

"Hey, you might be a little more polite next time," Hiccup grinned, backing up a step. "Maybe a simple, 'you're not allowed up here' would suffice. But oh well. Guards are dumb around here. You can't put sense in a fool's brain."

Hiccup walked back down the stairs and back to the Level he had just left. There was a long hallway, and people were walking to and fro, each one taking a careful glance at him before proceeding. Hiccup stopped one of them.

"I'm looking for Odin's little seer," he told the man. "Do you know where I can find her?"

The Asgardian man looked afraid, and shrunk back from Hiccup. "Are you the new Rider?" He asked, with a trembling voice.

"I am."

"Then I cannot tell you where the girl is," the man stammered. "I mean, you - you tried to kill her this week. You stormed through the halls and strangled her, I – I could not let you know where she is so you could do it again."

Hiccup laughed. "Oh, yes, I forgot. Thank you for refreshing my memory." Hiccup took a threatening step towards the man, who cringed. "That is in the past. I was out of my mind. But I do like to strangle people when they piss me off. And you're starting to." Hiccup placed a hand on the man's shoulder, close to the neck. The man gulped, his eyes panicking. The crowds in the hall all stopped to watch the two.

"All I want to know is where she lives," Hiccup said quietly. "Thor told me to come and find her, and I am doing so. Where is she?"

The man stared. "Thor told you?"

"Yes. That big guy with blonde hair and a hammer? Right, his name is Thor. And he will be most unhappy to hear that because of an idiot like you my meeting with her was delayed. Where is she?"

The man pointed. "Third door on the right, after the statue. She is in one of those rooms."

"Thanks." Hiccup clapped the man on the shoulder, watched him wince with pain at the blow, sidestepped around him, and walked down the hall again with an amused grin on his face. He found the third door on the right past the statue, and rapped on it sharply.

After a few seconds the door was opened by a young girl, but not Aiah. This girl was a normal brown haired lass around the age of thirteen. However, she was not normal, Hiccup realized. All her veins, such as the ones on her thin, supple forearms, were an eerie green, not skin colored with a tint of blue. She was not a natural being.

At the sight of Hiccup's armor and sword she raised an eyebrow, but showed no fear. Instead she turned her nose up at Hiccup with disdain.

"A soldier." Her voice was lined with contempt.

Hiccup frowned, not liking the girl's effrontery. "A soldier? Yes, I am a soldier. I am a Rider, and I am proud of it. Be thankful we defend people as snooty as you are. Regardless, I was told I could find Odin's little seer here. I want to see her."

The girl shook her head, but she had a satisfied, smug look on her face. "She will not see anyone. She is much too busy to see one as lowly as you are."

"She'll see me." Hiccup was confident, and the little girl's insolence irritated him. "Go in and tell her that her Kappi wants to see her. She'll let me in."

The girl raised an eyebrow. "Kappi?" She lost her arrogant, snobbish attitude and looked at Hiccup carefully before answering with a more respectful tone. "Very well – although I cannot see why she would ever give you such a title. I shall ask her. Wait here, and whatever you do, do NOT open any of these doors."

"Or what?" Hiccup asked, his grin coming back. "Giant barrels of snakes will roll out and eat me?"

The girl was not amused. "No," she replied haughtily. "Even worse. All of these rooms are used for magic experiments and manipulation. If you go in, you may get caught in the vortexes of power and be accidentally transformed into a toad. As funny as that would be, I don't think you'll appreciate that. So wait here."

"Turning into a toad seems a bit overused, don't you think?" Hiccup grinned, but the girl had already turned her back and entered one of the doors that he was forbidden to enter.

She came out almost immediately, her face hard and stern. She had lost her respectful tone from before.

"Odin's Seer says that she cannot see you. She will see no one. You must go. It was a pity you did not go into one of the doors, too. I would have liked to see you a toad,soldier."

"What?!" Hiccup stepped forward. "Did you tell her that? That I'm her Kappi?"

"Yes. She said you must go." The girl was smugly pleased.

"I don't believe it."

The girl shrugged. "If you insist I shall go ask her again, but you're trying her patience – and mine."

She turned, went back into the door, and stayed a little longer this time before emerging.

"She still says no, soldier. She will not see you and wishes you would go away at once. So do I. In fact, she told me to kick you out."

Hiccup stood stiffly, feeling rejected and too upset to resent the girl's impudent behavior.

"Well, OK," he said sadly. "Tell her that I am saddened."

The girl inclined her head. "When she is finished with her tasks I shall do so. Now get out, soldier."

She shut the door in Hiccup's face.

Miffed, Hiccup turned to the hall, a scowl on his freckled face. He strode back down the hall with an angry countenance. People, seeing his mood written clearly in his face and the Asgardian Crest on his breastplate, moved away with looks of fear in their eyes. Hiccup was sad by their terror at first, but then he began to realize that he did not care so much. In fact, he – was he enjoying it?

As he realized with shock that indeed he did love their fear, he stepped around a corner and found himself face to face with Asgeirr.

Hiccup started. Asgeirr stepped forward, grabbed Hiccup's collar in both hands, and seized him.

"YOU!" Asgeirr roared. "WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU!"

Hiccup shoved Asgeirr. "Get off of me!"

Asgeirr did not release his hold. "NO! YOU FOOL! YOU STOLE FREYJA'S SWORD FROM HER?!"

Hiccup pulled his knee up between Asgeirr and himself and kicked Asgeirr in the chest, hurling the Warlock backward. As Asgeirr stumbled, Hiccup drew Hicca with a savage ring and pointed it at Asgeirr.

"I'm sick of this," Hiccup whispered, his voice ugly as death. "You treat me like garbage, you come and yell at me like a dog. No. I won't stand for this. What is your complaint, master?" Hiccup put a twisted sarcasm on the last word.

Asgeirr straightened up, his broad face white with fury. His lip curled in a sneer, and Hiccup saw – was it fangs? – In his mouth. Then they faded, and Asgeirr spoke, his voice cold with rage.

"You stole Freyja's sword, the Sword of Death. You took it by force."

"Bah!" Hiccup sneered, sheathing Hicca. "Force? She began the attack. I merely met force with force, and guess what? I WON. Now the Sword of Death is mine."

"WHERE IS IT!?" Asgeirr screamed.

"No. Don't begin this with me, Asgeirr. You've seen me train, you've seen my attitude. I may be different than most Vikings, but I sure as hell have their stubbornness issues. The sword is hidden, it's hidden well, and you'll never find it. You'll also never get me to tell you. You know this."

Asgeirr stood silently for a minute.

"I do know that," he said. "But the Asgardian Council does not and they are absolutely incensed with you for what you did. They demand to see you immediately."

Hiccup's eyes widened. "The Asgardian Council? The five Gods, with the addition of Odin, that determine the fate of EVERYTHING?"

"Yes." Asgeirr's lip curled. "We'll see if you can deal with them."


	24. to pass a test

chapter 24: to pass a test

High Asgard, Day 14 since Hiccup's Departure

Footsteps. Footsteps of soldiers. Five Aesir warriors, helmets bright and spears gleaming, were marching down the hall with the superiority and power of Gods. Smoothly and with matching strides did they march, and the fall of their footsteps were that of one entity. In the center of these warriors was Hiccup. He was walking firmly and confidently, flanked by two soldiers on each side and the fifth led in front. Their destination was the Asgardian Council.

Hiccup's sleek black elvish armor was of a make and style that far surpassed his fierce escort, and even when being conducted by five of the most fearsome soldiers in the land, he looked the most dangerous of the group. Clusters of Aesir men and women stopped in their movements through the halls to make way and stare at the awe-inspiring spectacle.

Turning a corner, Hiccup looked up and saw that the hallway ended, and there was a white door that looked even more important and mysterious than any of the things he had seen on Asgard. Three men, dressed in golden armor, stood in front of the white passage. As they approached the door, the lead soldier in Hiccup's escort barked a command. The Aesir soldiers all stopped, and then stepped aside to give the three men passage to Hiccup. Even though they were all helmeted, Hiccup recognized one of them, for he had just seen him several hours ago.

It was Heimdall.

"Welcome, Riddari Hiccup," the large Captain of the guard announced, his face utterly emotionless. "You are about to enter the Asgardian Council."

"So I've been told," Hiccup yawned, speaking for the first time since Asgeirr had found him in the halls. "I was summoned to the Council over half an hour ago. What took so long? Oh, and I hope the Council has refreshments in there, I'm hungry."

Heimdall didn't even blink. "I've been told of your disrespect and sarcastic disposition," he commented. "You give enough of your quibble to my guards. I respect that and even admire it, but trust me, your attitude will get you nowhere in this Council. The Gods you are about to meet are more powerful than you can ever dream of becoming."

Hiccup sighed. "If you must give me a pep talk, get on with it," he groaned. "Asgeirr gives me enough harsh words about my brashness towards the Gods, even," Hiccup grinned, "the most powerful in the Nine Realms."

Heimdall's eyes flickered angrily, and he did not reply. Instead he turned to his two golden-clad companions, and they stepped forward and laid hands on Hiccup.

It was a pat-down. Hiccup obligingly held his arms out and spread his legs to let them feel all over his body, which they did without blinking. The two men were utterly thorough, and even removed some of his armor and replaced it to search some areas. It was a fast and efficient job, with no waste movement or intent to offend.

Hiccup was very surprised that they did not touch Hicca, but was glad they didn't – if they did, he would have resisted. When the search was finished, the two men stepped back. Heimdall gazed steadily at Hiccup, then took one step forward and reached for Hicca, as if he was going to take the sword off his back.

Hiccup struck. Bouncing off the ground, he kicked Heimdall in the chest with both feet, using him to do a spinning kick and knock the other two Aesir men aside. It was a move he had learned from Vulcan. Hiccup landed adroitly on his toes and fingertips as all three guards fell, and drew Hicca with a ring. As soon as he removed his sword, the Aesir soldiers that surrounded him dropped their spears and drew their own blades, poised for action.

The three guards, all knocked to the ground, began to rise, and Hiccup snarled at them, even as the rattle of spears still sounded on the marble floor.

"This is MY sword," Hiccup told the guards. "And she stays with me. I don't care if I'm going to see all the Gods on the nine realms, I take Hicca with me and I never give her up."

Heimdall had regained his feet, and this time he was smiling.

"I know," he told Hiccup. "You and your sword go together and are not separated, and I have orders to let it pass through. I wasn't going to touch it – I just wanted to see how you would react." Heimdall's smile grew wider. "Perhaps Midgard has some hope after all."

Hiccup straightened up and sheathed his sword, returning the big man's grin. As if to mirror Hiccup, the Aesir soldiers sheathed their weapons and resumed a calm stance, but they did not take their gaze away from Hiccup to pick up their spears.

"You are cleared to go inside," Heimdall told Hiccup, his smile fading and his face becoming as emotionless as before. "But since you are armed, you need an escort, which these soldiers are. I am just informing you. That is non-negotiable."

Hiccup shrugged. "I've no objection."

"Good." Heimdall turned and left, his two companions following. Despite the fact that they had all been kicked, they acted as if nothing had ever touched them. The Aesir soldier that had led the escort turned to Hiccup.

"Well, Riddari, you were just complaining about how long this was taking, and now we're waiting on you. Go on in."

"Finally," Hiccup grinned, rolling his shoulders. "Time to go see what the Gods are made of." With that, he walked up to the white carven doors, and pushed them open.

Hiccup's eyes immediately took in the entire room. It was shaped in the form of a large rectangle, with long benches along the rear, at his back. Along either side were rows of golden-clad guards. On a chair off to one side but in an easily visible location was Asgeirr, which surprised Hiccup. He had no idea why his Master would be present. Hiccup turned around fully so he could see what was behind him, and was again surprised to see an entire gallery of Aesir men and women in a balcony behind him. Turning back around, he looked front. Directly ahead of him, all seated behind a giant raised table made of pure gold and rubies, were seven of the most powerful beings he had ever laid eyes on.

This council was what determined the course of everything. The Gods monitored, owned, and controlled all the worlds, including Midgard. Hiccup was walking in to meet with the ones who played with his homeland like a toy.

Hiccup recognized only a few of the seven Gods. In the center of the long table sat Odin, whom he had seen before, and sitting on his left side, slightly behind, was Thor. Hiccup assumed he wasn't actually a Council member – he was just there to observe. On Odin's right was a large, attractive woman whom Hiccup assumed was Frigga. Just seeing the legendary husband and wife made him want to tremble, but he resisted. He had no idea who the other Gods were, but they were all bearded except for a bald, shaved giant on one end, who wore armor rather than regal garments. Hiccup had no idea how to begin to speak to them.

Frigga solved the problem for him. She spoke.

"Riddari Hiccup of Midgard, you are now in the presence of the Asgardian Council. You stand before the AllFather Odin, the God Thor, Frigga, Kvasir, God of Wisdom, Forseti, God of Justice, Vor, the Goddess of reason, and Tyr, the God of war."

Hiccup surveyed the table of Gods coolly. When he first arrived on Asgard he would have fallen on his face in terror, but now he had formed different opinions of the Gods. The four he had not seen before were Kvasir, the black haired and black eyed God of Wisdom, Forseti, the God of Justice, who had a flowing white beard, Vor, the Goddess of reason, who was beautiful, charming, and soft, and Tyr, who was the bald giant clad in armor. He was the God of war.

"Bow to the Gods," Frigga commanded.

Hiccup stopped scanning the table and locked eyes with Frigga.

"No," he said.

Frigga stared at him, and the Gods all stared in stunned shock.

"You refuse to bow to us?" Frigga demanded, her tone more surprised than angry.

Hiccup shrugged. "I bow to people I respect. I don't know many of you, and there is only one I'll bow to. Thor, I bow to you." Hiccup inclined his head. "As for the rest of you, may I daresay you don't need me bowing to help puff up your bellyfuls of importance." Hiccup gazed at Odin.

The Gods stared, and the people sitting behind him in the gallery all seemed to shift in awe, whispering to each other in tones of fear.

"I swear," Odin said, his voice hoarse, "That you are the most belligerent, audacious, and foolish being I have ever laid eyes on."

Hiccup grinned. "I'm a Viking. I have stubbornness issues. But come, AllFather, what is a mere bow? It's a lot better if I'm honest with you. My opinion of you all is very low at the moment, and bending my neck a few inches won't change that."

The Goddess Vor, seated in her chair on the far left of the table, smiled but said nothing. Instead, the black haired God Kvasir spoke up. He was the God of Wisdom, and Hiccup was interested as to what a wise man would say to his words.

"I agree with you, Riddari Hiccup," Kvasir said, his voice calm and unhurried. "Formalities are mere nonsense."

Hiccup allowed himself a slight smile, and Kvasir went on.

"You have been summoned here for a purpose, Riddari Hiccup. It has been called to our attention that you fought Freyja, almost killed her, and stole the Sword of Death from her. This leads us to -"

"I didn't steal the sword." Hiccup interrupted. "She attacked me. I was defending myself when I took that sword."

"But you hid it!" Odin leaned forward. "Riddari Hiccup, that sword is incredibly powerful, you know that. You may have been justified in disarming Freyja, but you didn't stop there. Oh no. You deliberately concealed the weapon from us, because you knew we would demand it of you!"

"I did."

"Why?" Kvasir stroked his short black beard, looking every bit as wise as he was renowned to be. "Surely, Hiccup, you do not intend to use the Sword of Death? You do not even know how. You didn't hide it for your own benefit, you hid it so we wouldn't get it."

Hiccup smiled. "I see you have earned your title as the God of Wisdom, Kvasir. Yes, I hid the Sword of Death so that you couldn't get your hands on it."

"Why?" Kvasir asked.

"Because it is mine. I earned it, not you. I was the one who took it from Freyja."

"And that was a VERY unwise thing to do," Kvasir sighed. "Riddari Hiccup, we have been trying for many years to convince Freyja to allow dragons into Valhalla. She is proud and full of hate, but we were making progress. Now, however, all of our work has been washed away. You foolishly told her of her dragon sons, and to make matters worse, you took her sword, the pride and majesty of Valhalla. In short, you embarrassed and humiliated her."

"Which brings us to the point," the God Forseti stated, speaking for the first time. "With the Sword of Death in our possession, we can force Freyja to let dragons go to Valhalla when they die, which is what they truly deserve. It is just, and as the God of Justice, I always pursue that."

Hiccup nodded. "I respect that, Forseti."

"If you give us the Sword of Death," Kvasir went on, "it is quite likely that we can use it to make a deal with Freyja."

Hiccup smiled. "Do you like deals, Kvasir?"

A corner of Kvasir's mouth went up. "When it is the wisest choice, a deal is one of the most valuable things one can have."

"Very well." Hiccup stepped forward. "Then I have a deal for you. All I wanted out of this whole mess with Freyja was one thing, one simple little thing!" He turned and spoke to the gallery of citizens. "I wanted to send a message back to Midgard, my home! That was why I told Freyja of her children. My tribe thinks I am dead, and I can't have that. War has most likely already begun. I must let my family and my friends know that I'm alive." He turned back to the Gods. "So here is my proposal. Let me write a message, drafted as I see fit, and send it to my father back on Midgard. Then I will return the Sword of Death to you." Hiccup flipped a hand. "Simple. Easy. We can resolve this in seconds and we all will benefit."

"No." Odin was staring down at Hiccup, a look of contempt on his face.

"No?" It was Forseti, the God of Justice, speaking for only the second. He stroked his long white beard as he turned to address Odin. "Why not? AllFather, Hiccup's offer is just."

"He is offering to return something he stole!" Odin roared. "That is not justice!"

"Hiccup had every right to take that sword," Forseti argued. "Your own son, Thor, witnessed that Freyja attacked Hiccup first. If a man tried to stab you and you took his dagger, that is not theft. That is defense. Hiccup was protecting himself. His offer is just. AllFather, we should consider accepting."

"No."

All eyes went to the one who had spoken. Asgeirr, who had been sitting in a plain wooden chair to the side, rose to his feet.

"With permission, Good Council, I would like to speak." He said firmly.

Odin nodded, gesturing with one hand. "Speak, Warlock."

"Good Council," Asgeirr rumbled, stepping forward, "I understand the importance of the Sword of Death, but my job is not to worry about such matters. I am only in charge of one thing, Hiccup and his training. With the success of my venture in mind, we CANNOT make this deal with him. It is essential that during this preparation, Hiccup learns that NO ONE will help him, NO ONE will make his life easier. He needs to learn what hardship and pain is. We made that mistake with Zyon."

The Asgardian Council shifted uncomfortably, and the gallery of people began to whisper.

"I understand your concern." Asgeirr was grim. "Zyon was, mildly speaking, a failure, and the reason why was because we gave him too long of a leash. He became arrogant and thought himself worthy to fight against the Gods themselves. As a result five Gods died. This cannot and will not happen again. Right now Hiccup is learning that fighting against the Gods is acceptable! He just defeated Freyja, and now he wants to bully us into giving him what he wants. He won't even bow to you. Good Council, we must keep Riddari Hiccup in check. He needs to learn that he cannot take the Gods so lightly. He needs to know that he is nothing, and stays nothing." Asgeirr turned to Hiccup, a grin on his face. "He does not deserve any favors."

Hiccup glared. "Damn you, Master."

Tyr, the God of War, on the far right of the table, then cleared his throat. His chair creaked as he lifted his enormous body from it. Muscles layered his form so thickly that they looked about to tear through his armor. He spoke for the first time, and his voice was terrifying and fierce.

"You have heard Lord Asgeirr," he rumbled. "AllFather, you must understand. My father was beheaded by Zyon when he turned traitor. While he was unsuspecting and unarmed, Zyon cut his head from his shoulders. I will not allow such a disgrace and tragedy to occur again. Good Council, we have entrusted Asgeirr with this - this boy, and what the Warlock says makes sense, even to the mind of simple soldier like myself. We should listen to the Warlock. I agree with him. In the interest of war, which I represent, it would be preferable to NOT oblige Riddari Hiccup. I would much rather be fighting beside a trained rider than against one."

"You speak for the interest of war," Forseti commented, as Tyr sat down. "I speak for justice. If justice is to be done in this matter, we should send a message for Hiccup. We have abused him in body and mind, and now we are refusing one little trifle. It would be just to grant his request."

"But it is not wise." Kvasir frowned, his black eyebrows furrowing. "A message is very hard to send, but compared to regaining the Sword of Death it is trivial. However, that is not the point. We cannot send a message. Firstly, if Hel, our greatest enemy, catches wind of it, she will know we have you and may take steps to hurry her assault on Midgard. Secondly, for the reasons Lord Asgeirr described, it is inherently dangerous. Wisdom leads me to decide that no message should be sent."

"I agree." The voice was so sweet and calm in the midst of so many fierce and savage opinions that Hiccup was stunned. He turned to look at the speaker, the Goddess Vor. She was the smallest God in the room, and her beautiful black hair was draped in a long braid over her right shoulder. She was stunningly radiant, and a circlet of silver encased her head. But most enchanting was her smile, which was sincere and comforting.

"Riddari Hiccup," she said sweetly, "I fully understand your desire to inform your people so you can prevent war on Midgard. But there is something you misunderstand, Hiccup. There is so much more to Midgard than just a few Viking tribes and dragons. There are more humans on your home world than you even dreamed of, and war is ever present. A trifling conflict in your homeland is not worth sending a message for. If we were to try and stop every little battle that occurred, we would be overrun. Reason tells me that we should not give you what you desire, as much as I would like to. I am sorry."

Her soft, sweet voice had soothed Hiccup, but by the time she was finished Hiccup was as sour as before.

"Well, all right, then," he growled. "You won't give me my message, you won't get the sword."

"OF ALL THE AUDACITY!" Odin roared, springing to his feet. "I've heard enough! Lord Asgeirr, take this dog out of my hall, and reschedule his final test for NOW! Make the question 'Where is the sword of death?!'"

Guards sprang forward to seize Hiccup, but suddenly Tyr, the God of war, barked a command.

"Wait!"

The soldiers stopped, and Hiccup glanced at them warily before looking back up to the Gods.

"I have one more thing to discuss with you," Tyr told him. "Forget what we just debated here, this is an entirely different subject. Earlier, Asgeirr informed me that you created a device – an explosive device."

Hiccup nodded, a slight frown creasing his forehead. "I did."

"How?!" Tyr leaned forward. "Spellcasters and magicians have been trying to make something that does that for centuries! It's unbelievable. You made it in less than an hour. I know what the ingredients you used are, but ten different groups of dwarvish builders have been working with the same materials ever since you did it, and none of them have come close! I need to know what you did to make it."

"I don't think you understand the full weight of what you've done," Vor added. "It's incredible and also unnerving. The power and deadliness of your creation could be a turning point in wars. We need to know how to make it."

Hiccup grinned, then laughed bitterly. "You sure picked the wrong time to ask me for a favor," he said. "Right now I'm not exactly in an obligatory mood."

"Come now!" Tyr snorted. "Don't be a fool. Just because we rejected you once means nothing. We're both soldiers, ignore the politics. This is a new discussion. How did you make that bomb?"

Hiccup sighed. "Very well. So, I first got the idea to make this bomb a long time ago, when my friend Fishlegs back home brought up an interesting thought. He proposed that things can come in several different forms. Take water, for example. Where I come from, there is lots of ice. You can take a chunk of ice, bring it indoors, put it in a bowl, and it becomes water soon. So the ice is water. Now you pour that water into a pan over a fireplace. The water vanishes, and it becomes steam. If you touch that steam, your hand gets damp, so it's still water. So water can be three things, solid, liquid, and gas."

Hiccup paused. "So if water can do this, why can't other things? I was a smith, and I know metal can be both solid and liquid. So I looked at Zippleback gas. Why can't that become a liquid and a solid also?"

Hiccup shrugged. "I never tried it until Asgeirr told me to make something. I had thought about doing it, and with the supplies I had, was able to convert the gas to a liquid, and poured that explosive liquid into a hollowed ball. It worked out great."

"How, though?" Tyr demanded. "That is the part that has our magicians baffled. How did you change the gas to liquid? We know you used Night Fury saliva, but how?"

Hiccup grinned. "That is for me to know. Not you."

"Oh, for Hel's sake!" Tyr exploded. "What do you WANT!?"

"I want a message sent back to Midgard for me!" Hiccup shouted.

"It's useless!" Odin roared. "Take him out!"

"One more thing!" Forseti called. "All right, Hiccup, just one last question. "Could you make a bomb large enough to destroy a city?"

Hiccup laughed. "With about a thousand Zipplebacks, a ball the size of a house, and some hundred gallons of Night Fury saliva -"

"COULD IT BE DONE!?" Tyr roared.

Hiccup met his gaze evenly. "Yes," he said. "If I had enough supplies, I could blow Asgard into nothing."

The whole room was silent.

"Very well," Tyr said, awe in his tone. He turned to Odin. "AllFather. You heard him. He has two things we want now. I understand that giving him what he wants may work against us, but the benefits here may outweigh the liabilities."

There was a long silence, and all the Gods turned to look at Odin. The old God stared at Hiccup, stroking his white beard thoughtfully. Frigga, his wife, looked at him supportively. Odin looked down at his hands, and then back up.

"No," he said with finality. "We will not bargain with you, Riddari Hiccup."

Hiccup's face contorted, and became black with rage.

"You can't be serious," he growled. "Stop pretending and trying to use this dumb logic and reasoning on me! There's one reason you won't do this for me, and you know it! You're all scared of me! You are afraid that I will beat you, and you won't stand for letting me get what I want! You're little chickens! You aren't real Gods! You're worthless cowards!"

By this point every person in the room was on their feet, the spectators, the guards, and even the Gods themselves. Two of the soldiers sprang forward to take hold of Hiccup's arms.

"Hi!" Hiccup yelled. "Let go of me! You slime! Why -"

The two soldiers slugged Hiccup in the gut, and he slumped in their hold, gasping for breath. He struggled, but another Aesir soldier came up behind him and grabbed his neck in a headlock. Hiccup could not resist, and was suppressed.

Then the five of them dragged Hiccup out.

As the door banged behind the entourage, the entire room all sat quietly for a minute, and then Asgeirr rose and addressed the Gods.

"I'll come and speak to you again soon. However, I have to go test him now. I will do as you requested, AllFather, and switch the test question to 'Where is the Sword of Death.'" Asgeirr nodded. "We'll see what he's really made of. Excuse me."

Asgeirr bowed graciously and turned to walk towards the door that Hiccup had just been dragged out of.

"What are your expectations for the Riddari, Lord Asgeirr?" Tyr called after him.

Asgeirr stopped at the door and turned. He smiled.

"He'll pass," he stated. Then, with another bow, he left.

There was an eerie silence in the Council room. Then Odin rose to his feet and addressed the gallery of Aesir citizens, who had been watching the entire performance in stunned awe.

"Out. All of you. Give us the room."

The people immediately obeyed, and everyone filed out, escorted by the soldiers. It took a few minutes, and while the people left, Odin sat down and sipped his wine tentatively, looking up at his son Thor, who was standing by Odin's side.

"Thor."

"Yes, Father?" Thor asked.

"Answer this question completely honestly. If I asked you to defeat Hiccup in a fight, could you do it?"

"I -" Thor hesitated. "I really don't know, Father."

Odin nodded. "I see." He sipped his wine again.

An Aesir guard approached, bowed, and stated, "The room is clear, my Lord."

"Very good," Odin answered. "Dismissed."

With another bow, the soldier turned and left, his fellow guards following him. The door clicked silently, and the Gods were left alone in the giant hall. Even all the Aesir Gods were gone.

Odin turned and glared up at Thor. "All right, son. Why in the name of Loki did you let Hiccup leave you with that sword in his possession?"

Thor made a wry face. "I'm sorry, Father. Truth be told, I did not want to have any further part in what happened up there in Valhalla. I was asked to escort him there, and not to battle Freyja and help in the removal of the Sword of Death. I'm afraid of Freyja as it is."

Odin snorted. "You are talented in battle, Thor, but you lack the brains of a half-witted babe."

Thor nodded. "I know."

Odin sighed, and sipped some wine again. "I'm afraid the quest to recover the Sword of Death is fairly useless at the moment. Freyja will think we're lying when we tell her that we don't have it, but we can't help that. We've already searched everywhere we know Hiccup has been since the incident, but unfortunately he was alone and unsupervised for a large segment of time. There is not much we can do about this. Maybe he'll break in the test, but I doubt it. So does Asgeirr, and he should know."

Odin paused. "So, Frigga, Kvasir, Forseti, Tyr, Vor, what do you think of our next wonderful Captain of Asgard?" The old God rarely used sarcasm, but he couldn't help himself in this instance.

"I like him," Forseti admitted. "I know he's very disrespectful, but the fact that he no longer fears us is good. If he doesn't fear ourselves or Freyja, that means he won't fear Hel."

Odin said nothing.

"He unnerves me," Frigga said quietly. Odin's wife shook her head sadly. "His eyes!"

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIS EYES!?" Odin roared, leaping to his feet and dropping his goblet of wine on the table. It splashed, and wine spilled over the white tablecloth.

"Oh, come now, AllFather!" Kvasir exploded. "We've all been thinking the same thing since that blasted boy walked in here. Good Council, let's face it about Hiccup. HIS EYES LOOK LIKE LOKI'S."

There was a dead silence, with the only noise being the drip of Odin's wine as it dripped steadily to the marble floor beneath the dais.

"Kvasir is right," Tyr finally said, breaking the silence. "I've only ever seen that shade of green once – while talking to the evil God who killed my father. They're Loki's eyes, I'd swear to it."

"He has a Godly bearing, too," Vor commented, twisting her dainty silver ring on her finger. "The way he stood up to us today, it was very intriguing. Reason tells me he's not a normal man."

"AllFather, we need to know who this man is," Kvasir told Odin. "You've read Asgeirr's reports, and so have I. No mortal should be doing what Hiccup is doing. No mortal should have been able to pass the mental training so quickly. No mortal should have been able to defeat Freyja with two strokes of a sword. And from what Thor told us about Hiccup's entrance to Valhalla, he seems even less like a man and more like a God. The Guardian at the Valhalla gate said Hiccup was not a human. Who is he?"

"He's no one!" Odin exploded. "His father is a bludgeon-headed idiot from a primitive tribe of Hooligans on Midgard! His family has always been idiots."

"Your little purple-eyed seer told you this?" Forseti asked.

"Yes," Odin snapped. "She can look into Hiccup's mind, his past, and find out where he came from."

"What about his mother?" Vor queried. "Hiccup is not a giant, muscled moron like most so-called Vikings. He's highly intelligent. If his father's side of the family is a gaggle of simpletons, then his wisdom must come from his mother's side. That is actually a good point. Did his father have green eyes?"

"Yes." Odin sounded hollow. "But they're not the same, they're too dull. But he also knows his mother had similar eyes. His mother was killed by dragons when Hiccup was a child. He never knew her, and so my seer could not know her either."

"Then we need to find out who his mother was and where she came from," Kvasir stated. "Certainly she was quite unique, to have a son like Hiccup."

"Hiccup's father would know the most about Hiccup's mother," Vor stated. "We need to have one of our seers speak with Hiccup's father about his mother. There may be an answer as to why Hiccup is so unnaturally gifted."

Odin rose to his feet, the eyes of the Council following him. The AllFather looked in turn at each of his fellow Council members.

"I'll consider it," he said, and then left.

Uninhabited Isle, 2 miles North of Bog Burglar Island, Day 14 since Hiccup's Departure

A loud horn rang out over the choppy waters, waking Astrid Hofferson from a dark and dreary dream. Blinking slowly, she found her head resting on a hard leather shoulderplate, with the wind whipping in her ears and hair. She was sitting on a dragon, and the dragon was sailing above the sea, flapping his wings with a steady pulse. Astrid was seated behind Thuggory, her arms wrapped around the boy's waist and her head resting on his shoulder. She straightened up, and Thuggory noticed. He turned his head back to talk to her, his brown hair waving in the breeze.

"We're at the island!" he shouted to her over the wind. "The one where you left your comrade and your dragon. We'll be landing in a few minutes. Now you won't have to ride with me and Killer anymore."

"Right," Astrid shouted back, turning to look behind her at Thuggory's wolf Killer, who was curled up in his own special saddle behind her. The wolf acknowledged Astrid with a slow blink of his deep, sad eyes. It appeared the animal was used to long, dull flights.

Looking up again, Astrid saw that they were flying in the middle of a giant horde of dragon riders. About a quarter of the riders from Berk, Meathead Island, and Bashem Island were flying with them, creating a cloud of dragons, which from a distance must have looked like a swarm of bugs. The other three quarters of the army had left before them.

"Kind of a shame, really!" Thuggory grinned back at her. "You're fun to fly with – until you sleep, that is. You've been using my shoulder as a pillow since we left!"

"Oh, shut up," Astrid answered, but allowed a smile to come to her lips.

"All right, we're coming in to land!" Thuggory yelled exultingly. "I've done it a million times but landing is still fun! Hold on!"

Astrid gripped Thuggory's armor and held firmly onto the leather as Furious opened his wings to land. The air roared past as the grey Monstrous Nightmare's feet struck the ground, jolting Astrid against Thuggory's back. They were on the island, the same island that Astrid and the gang had regrouped after the raid on the Bog several days ago.

Thuggory and Astrid slid off the dragon, and as soon as Astrid hit the earth she wavered, and grabbed Thuggory's shoulder to steady herself. The ground was shaking!

Thuggory was feeling the ground shake also, and he turned to look at Astrid, laughing. "Who knew that an army of dragons landing could create an earthquake?" He chuckled.

Astrid looked around, and saw scores of dragons landing all over the island, the constant thud of their feet hitting the ground causing a genuine tremble on the island. In fact, they were late – the isle already looked like a war camp, for most of the group was already there, and pitched tents and lit fires.

"Wow," she said, staring at the ensemble. It was an awe-inspiring sight. Rows of tents, neatly organized, spanned the length of the area. Dragons were perched in trees and all over. In the middle there was a massive tent, which had the banners of all three allied tribes flying over it. It looked professional and well-organized, nothing like the typical Viking battle setup.

"Pretty impressive, huh?" Thuggory reached up to Furious' back to unbuckle his wolf Killer from his saddle. "This is Bashem Island battle organization. Chief Elcroy, the battle genius, is behind all this coordination and tent setup."

"It's incredible," Astrid wowed, still gazing at the sight in wonder. "I've never seen anything like it. It looks so – cool. All those tents, so neatly lined up."

"That it does." Thuggory finished unstrapping Killer, and the big grey wolf leapt down to stand at Thuggory and Astrid's side. "I have one of those big tents because I'm royalty," Thuggory explained, pointing to a large red one in the center of the area. "You should have a family tent with your parents somewhere, and it'll have a Berkian crest on it."

"I see," Astrid said. "How do you know so much about this, Thug?"

"I've been around." Thuggory said shortly. "And I like to learn. I'm not a smart guy, but I'm a good listener. I've been dropping in on Chief Elcroy and Fishlegs' discussions, and I've also been talking with Fishlegs a lot. That's how I learned about this."

Astrid was about to reply, but suddenly there was a rush of air above them and a green and yellow Nadder swooped over their heads, doing a neat little half circle before landing smoothly in front of them. A black haired girl leapt off the Nadder, her catlike eyes smiling. It was Heather.

"Astrid!" Heather shouted, walking up to her friend, the Nadder following behind her. "You'll never guess what happened! I found myself a dragon of my own!"

Astrid laughed, and Heather, coming up, gave Astrid a joyous hug. "It was just like you said," Heather said proudly. "I was taking care of Stormfly and then this dragon just came and landed. It knew Stormfly was injured and wanted to help. But when I first saw her I just knew – and we touched each other, and then it just happened! I have a dragon now, it's so cool!"

Astrid laughed. "It was bound to happen sooner or later," she smiled. "Is it a he or a she? What's the name?

"Oh, it's a girl," Heather announced. "And I named her Windshear, because she just cuts through the air like a hot knife through butter, isn't that right, girl?" She patted Windshear's snout.

"That's wonderful," Astrid said, happy for her friend.

"It is, and Stormfly recovered perfectly from all the arrow wounds," Heather assured her. "She's at your parent's tent, waiting for you. You're late, most of the army arrived over three hours ago. What took you so long?"

"Well, Thug likes to be the last person to leave, apparently," Astrid said, turning to Thuggory. "Heather, this is Thuggory, the heir of the Meathead tribe."

Heather's mouth parted. "Thuggory? I barely – it's – it's nice to meet you."

"Good to meet you, too," Thuggory smiled, extending a hand. "I'm sorry if I'm looking at you funny, but I could swear I've seen you before."

"I – I don't think we've met," Heather stammered, as she took Thuggory's hand. She cast her eyes downward.

Thuggory's brows furrowed. "You seem very familiar to me. Interesting. Anyway, Astrid tells me you're quite the warrior."

"She exaggerates," Heather grinned, but her smile seemed off. She looked nervous, and never met the boy's cool brown eyes. Instead, she kept darting glances behind Thuggory. Thuggory noticed and turned.

"Ah," he said. "Heather, this is my wolf, Killer."

Killer turned and his gleaming eyes locked on Heather's as he approached. "Killer is my battle companion," Thuggory said. "There's no need to be afraid of him."

Heather looked at the wolf in fear, and suddenly Killer's attitude changed. He bared his teeth and snarled viciously, the hair on his back bristling.

"What is it!?" Thuggory forgot everything else and leapt towards the wolf. "Killer, what?"

Killer gave a savage snarl at Heather, and Thuggory turned. Heather was very nervous now, and took a step back.

"He doesn't like you," Thuggory said slowly, taking a step towards Heather. "Killer doesn't hate anyone until he has a reason to. He's seen you before. Where?"

"I – I" Heather couldn't get out any words, but her hand fell to her sword. Thuggory's eyes followed her movement, and as he saw the sword, his eyes widened.

"I know you!" He roared, leaping forward and seizing Heather by the throat. "Don't you touch that sword!" He grabbed Heather's wrist with one hand as she tried to grab her blade, and then punched her solidly in the kidney. Heather crumpled, and Thuggory, his hand still on her throat, lifted her onto her toes by her neck.

"YOU!" He shouted. "I know where I've seen you before! You fought against my tribe in the Meathead/Outcast war! I remember you! You were that black haired bitch that cut down scores of my men! By Thor! You fought for the Outcasts!"

Windshear growled and sprang forward to help her rider, but Furious, Thuggory's dragon, stepped up to stop her. Windshear took one look at the vicious Monstrous Nightmare and the two dragons began to circle each other, glaring and snarling. Thuggory kept his hold on Heather.

"Thuggory!" Astrid yelled, jumping forward and grabbing the boy's strong arm. "Stop it!"

"She's an Outcast!" he yelled to Astrid.

"No she's not, Thug!" Astrid tugged at Thuggory's arm. "She's not an Outcast! She's was a mercenary! She would sell her sword to the highest bidder! The Outcasts must have hired her during that war. She's not evil!"

Thuggory's grip weakened, then tightened again. "Oh really?" He barked. "Is she branded, Astrid? All Outcasts have a black cross branded on their backs, right? Does she?"

Astrid hesitated. "I – I don't know," she said slowly.

"We'll find out." Thuggory jerked Heather over by her neck, pinning the girl on his knee. With one hand he grabbed the hem of her shirt and tore it off, breast bindings with it, baring her back and shoulders.

As they looked at Heather's bare back, both Astrid and Thuggory stared in shock.

There was no Outcast brand. However, there was something even more shocking.

Heather's back looked horrifying. There were scores and scores of red, mottled scars crisscrossed across her backbone and curling around to her sides. She had been brutally whipped. Her spine also had ugly burn scars up and down it. Heather had suffered some cruel torment at some point in her life.

"My God," Thuggory whispered in shock, and let Heather go. Heather collapsed to the dirt, coughing, and Windshear squawked in rage. Thuggory laid a hand on the pommel of his sword.

After a few gasps, Heather scrambled to her feet again, her eyes blazing. Covering her breasts with one hand, she wrenched her curved blade out her sheath with the other, the wicked steel shining.

"Don't. Ever. Touch. Me." She threatened Thuggory, still gasping for air but also white with rage. She was shaking with emotion. "You had no right to do that to me!"

"I did, though." Thuggory put a soothing hand on Killer's neck, who was bristling, ready to attack Heather at any time. "I could and should have you executed for crimes against my tribe,Heather."

"Thug, don't do that!" Astrid pleaded. "She's had a rough life."

"Thor above!" Thuggory gritted his teeth. "Dammit, you black-haired demon!"

Heather turned to look at Astrid, tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she told her friend brokenly, then turned and ran for Windshear. Sheathing her sword, she jumped on her Nadder and immediately took off, flying away from the island, into the distance.

"Heather!" Astrid shouted after her, but she was already too far to hear the call. All Astrid could do was stare helplessly as the shape of Windshear faded.

Astrid turned to Thuggory angrily. "Why did you do that?!"

"You don't understand." Thuggory was quiet. "You didn't fight in the Meathead/Outcast war, Astrid. Last year the Outcasts invaded the Meathead Isles by boat. The attack was led by Alvin the Treacherous, you know him. The Outcasts tried to take our land, kill our children, and take us all as slaves. They almost won. This was right after Hiccup taught us about the dragons, and it was our first war with the dragons on our side. With their help, we managed to ward off the invaders. There was one battle in particular that I recall. We were outnumbered two to one. I was in charge of thirty of my men and the Outcasts had ninety. And she was there."

Thuggory paused. "She – Heather - was in front, cutting down my men one by one. I crossed blades with her, and fended her off until the dragons arrived to overrun the Outcasts."

Thuggory turned to stare off at the distant shape of Heather's dragon. "Twenty-two Meatheads fell that day. And she was leading the group. I saw her many times after that, always fighting, just a killing machine."

Astrid said nothing.

Thuggory turned on her. "She has committed crimes against my tribe and deserves to die. Why should I spare her?"

Astrid swallowed. "Because she isn't an Outcast, Thuggory. She needed money. She was desperate, and I think she still is. I don't know what her story is, but you saw her. She was beaten. Maybe she was forced to fight for the Outcasts. Now she is fighting for us. She will make up for the lives she took from your tribe."

Thuggory shook his head. "I'll bring up the matter with my father. For now, if she comes back, arrest her."

And with that he turned his back on Astrid and strode into the sea of tents, Killer and Furious following him.

High Asgard, Day 14 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup stood sullenly in a small, cramped room. If it was not for the simple wooden door and well-lit windows, he would have thought it was a prison cell. Maybe it was; after all, he had been very disrespectful towards the Asgardian Council and might have assumed that he was imprisoned for it, but he knew otherwise.

His final test for Level one was beginning.

This was the only thing Hiccup knew. Odin had ordered Asgeirr to begin it immediately, ad a command from the AllFather had to be obeyed. It was only a matter of how soon it would begin, and Hiccup tried to forget the frustrations that he had dealt with in the council and focus on the test – whatever it might be.

Just then the wooden door opened, and someone entered. Hiccup's eyes lit up. It was not Asgeirr. It was Alaedlar.

"Master," Hiccup grinned.

"Hiccup," Alaedlar acknowledged. "It's good to see you again."

"And you," Hiccup said. "I've only been getting into more trouble since you last saw me."

"I know," Alaedlar laughed. "I was there, watching the Council meeting from the gallery. By the Gods, what you did was brash, stupid, and insane, but on my life," Alaedlar threw his head back, "It was satisfying! I have never seen anyone treat the Gods with such disrespect before, and while I'm not encouraging it, I just loved seeing those pompous fools taken down a notch! Oh, I loved it!"

Hiccup joined in Alaedlar's laugh. "It was kind of stupid, though," he admitted ruefully. "Maybe if I was a little more respectful I might have made a deal."

Alaedlar shook his head. "I doubt it. There was no way they would ever acknowledge you got the better of them – they are too proud."

Hiccup sighed. "I just want to let Astrid know I'm all right."

"I understand," Alaedlar said sympathetically. "But that is now done with. Your final test is the next step."

Hiccup took a deep breath. "Very well. When does it begin?"

"Now." Alaedlar took a step forward. "Here are the rules for the test. In a few minutes Asgeirr will come in here. He will command you to do some things that you will NOT like. However, if you do not obey his commands to the letter, you fail. No matter what they are. If he tells you to gouge out your eyeball, you have to do it. Is that clear?"

Hiccup blinked. "Very well."

"I am going to give you some commands myself, right now," Alaedlar said. "You have to obey or you fail, and have to redo several training policies, even possibly The Wolf. You won't get to see Toothless for a while."

"I understand," Hiccup affirmed quietly.

"Hiccup, do you trust me?" Alaedlar asked suddenly.

Hiccup blinked. He had never considered that question before, and the fact that Alaedlar asked it caught him off guard. Did he trust Alaedlar? Maybe it was time to find out.

He locked gazes with the silver-haired elf, using the tricks that Loki had told him he was gifted at. The eyes are the gateway to the mind. Alaedlar blinked but then met Hiccup's intent scrutiny. Hiccup stared deep into the elf's eyes, looking for the secrets, the lies and truths that the eyes held. At first, all seemed clear. Alaedlar was indeed an honest individual who was telling Hiccup the truth. But then Hiccup began to see something different in the depths of Alaedlar's eyes. There was something strange. Something was not right. It was almost as if -"

Alaedlar blinked, and Hiccup lost focus. Slowly he nodded.

"Yes, Master. I trust you. There is something about you that is not right, but I trust you."

Alaedlar inclined his head. "Very well. Then obey these commands without question."

"I will." Hiccup affirmed.

Alaedlar smiled. "This is my first command to you."

Hiccup waited, his eyes intent, ready to obey.

"Give me Hicca." Alaedlar said firmly.

Hiccup blinked. Of all the commands that he could have guessed Alaedlar might give him, that was the last. Alaedlar was the one who had told him that Hicca and he were one, and now he was ordering him to give it up. But if he didn't, Hiccup failed the test. He could not let that happen.

Reaching up slowly, he unbuckled Hicca's sheath, and handed the sword to Alaedlar.

Alaedlar took it, and then gave his second command.

"Take off your armor, shirt, and shoes."

Hiccup was once again surprised, but more amused this time. Without hesitation or question, he unbuckled the beautiful black chestplate, his belt, his greaves and shoes, and piled them neatly beside him. He now stood shirtless, only wearing his black pants and Astrid's Nadder scale, which still sat bright and blue around his neck. He wondered if Alaedlar would take it also.

Alaedlar did not. Instead the elf pulled a black cloth from his pocket. He handed it to Hiccup along with his third command.

"Blindfold yourself," he ordered.

Hiccup was startled, but he obeyed. He took the cloth and tied it firmly over his eyes, so he could see nothing around him or in front of him. He was completely blind.

"Very good." Alaedlar said. "Now I will leave you and Asgeirr will arrive shortly. You will NOT speak. You will NOT resist anything he does. You will do as he commands and say nothing until he instructs you otherwise. Is that clear?"

Hiccup nodded, catching himself before he broke the rules and spoke.

"Then wait here."

Alaedlar left, his footsteps fading.

Hiccup took a deep breath. He didn't know why, but some sense of impending doom was upon him. He was afraid, and for no reason other than the fear of the unknown. He had received several hints as to what this test involved, and he was only aware that it involved some kind of physical recovery and also Dragon Iron. He had no idea what kind of combination that was.

Footsteps interrupted his thoughts, and he opened his ears, trying to hear anything unordinary. The voice of Asgeirr spoke.

"Riddari." Then a powerful hand grabbed Hiccup's arm. "Come with me."

It was a command, and Hiccup obeyed. With Asgeirr's strong hand on his arm, he walked with the Warlock for a little ways, taking several turns and walking down several halls. Then a lock rattled, and a door opened. Together Hiccup and Asgeirr stepped into a room.

Hiccup's senses immediately took in the room. He could not see, but he could feel and smell and hear, and what he gathered did not appeal to him.

His feet were now standing on roughhewn stone, not smooth marble, and it was very, very hot. As he listened and smelled, he knew why. There was a very hot fire nearby, and it was being used to melt metal. He could smell the hot steel, and he could also hear the bubbling of liquid. Something clicked in his head. Dragon Iron. They were melting down Dragon Iron. But why?

Asgeirr led him a few more steps forward and Hiccup heard the door close behind him with a thud.

Asgeirr spoke. "Directly in front of you is a stone slab, Riddari. Lay down on it."

Hiccup stood still for a second and then obeyed, his heart pumping like mad. He had no idea what was going on. Slowly he climbed onto the rock slab and laid down, the rough stone digging into his back. He silently cursed the blindfold. If only he could see!

He heard Asgeirr move to the other side of the stone slab, and then the Warlock reached out and shifted one of Hiccup's arms slightly. As he did so, Asgeirr's hand bumped against the stone and made a metallic clink.

Hiccup grinned. That's right. Asgeirr must have a rough time of it, having metal bones in his hand all the time. Sure, there must be tons of benefits, but the noise every time his bones hit something hard must be annoying. They were made of Dragon Iron. Dragon Iron…

DRAGON IRON!

Suddenly Hiccup realized what was happening, and with a roar, he tried to sit up. But even as he did so, metal bands came crashing down on him, pinning his wrists, his arms, his ankles, his thighs, and his waist. He was pinned to the stone, utterly helpless.

"NOOOOOO!" Hiccup roared, struggling. "NO!"

Asgeirr tore off the blindfold, and Hiccup, snarling in rage and terror, realized where exactly he was.

He was in a torture cell. The room was cluttered and lined with all sorts of vile torture devices. There was a raging furnace off to one side, in which sat several fireplace pokers. Above the furnace was a giant cauldron containing bubbling metal.

Asgeirr stood above him, tall and terrible.

"This is your test for Level one," he said grimly. "And it is simple. All you have to do is refuse to answer one question, no matter what. The question is this. Where is the Sword of Death?"

Hiccup was breathing deeply, realizing at last what was actually going on. He glared up at Asgeirr.

"Damn you, Asgeirr!" He yelled. "Damn you to Hel!"

"Very good." Asgeirr smiled. "We'll see if you can keep that up."

Turning, he walked out of the room, and Hiccup roared in fear and rage, tugging at his bonds. He wanted to scream at his helplessness, and knowing that he was about to be tortured only fueled his panic. They were going to do terrible things to him. They were going to melt down his bones and make them Dragon Iron, and only the Gods knew what else.

The door opened again, and Hiccup stopped his struggles and twisted his head to look at the newcomer. It was a man, or at least, he assumed it was a man. The being wore an ugly spiked mask, half black, half white. In his hand he held a tray of assorted tools and torture devices.

Hiccup took deep, calming breaths as the masked man set down his tray by the fire, the metal clinking menacingly. Then he stepped up to the stone slab and spoke in an unpleasant, grating voice.

"You are Riddari Hiccup Haddock of Midgard," he stated. His voice betrayed absolutely no emotion whatsoever. "And I am called Eclipse. If anyone ever tells you they have the worst job in the world, then laugh at them and tell them that they are wrong. I have the worst job in the world." Eclipse let out a gurgled laugh. "This is the most disgusting and unpleasant job anyone could ever ask for. But -" he paused. "I LOVE it."

Hiccup snarled, and Eclipse laughed, his evil voice echoing in the small stone room. "Yes, indeed, Riddari Hiccup! I LOVE my job. I am a torturer. I love making people feel pain. I love breaking them. I am told you will be hard to break. But I will break you." His voice became a low whisper. "Oh yes, I will break you. I am quite the expert at this sort of thing."

"You are sick." Hiccup spat at him. "Get on with it, you Thor-damned swine!"

"I am sick." Eclipse turned from Hiccup and walked over to the fire, where three pokers were laid in the roaring flames. "I am sick with the love of making things feel agony. And you are about to experience more pain than you have ever felt in your life."

Hiccup believed him. Eclipse picked up one of the pokers and turned back around. Underneath his mask he was grinning, and his teeth were jagged and yellow. Hiccup's eyes went to the poker. It was so hot the tip glowed white.

Eclipse came up beside Hiccup's head, and with a movement of his free hand, closed a metal band around Hiccup's forehead, which latched to the slab. Hiccup's head was now entirely immobile. He wanted to scream, to beg, to cry. But he could not. His pride, his honor, his life, were all at stake. He was a Viking. He was a man.

Eclipse smiled. "You know that you are going to be in terrible agony," he mocked. "You will scream, you will yell, you will cry. It will have no effect on me. You will have the most painful time of your life. And yet," he paused, "You can stop it all. All you have to do is tell me where the Sword of Death is, and it will all stop. Your wounds will heal, and you will be released."

"Stop lying!" Hiccup screamed, his voice cracking. "I know it all! If I tell you where it is, I fail this test, and I'll have to do it all over again! Curse you! Curse all of them! Do it! Torture me, come on!"

Eclipse smiled with a sigh of pleasure. "As you wish," he said smugly. He raised the red-hot poker above Hiccup's face. The metal was so hot Hiccup could feel it from a full foot away. As he looked at the tip of the poker, Eclipse steadily lowered it towards his left eye. Hiccup suddenly gasped. Carved into the end of the poker was a face of a wolf-headed man.

"Where is the Sword of Death?" Eclipse asked suddenly, halting the hot iron right in front of Hiccup's eye. It was a question Hiccup would hear in his nightmares for years to come.

"NEVER!" Hiccup yelled, his voice cracking.

"So be it," Eclipse smiled, and let the hot iron fall on Hiccup's eye.

Hiccup screamed.

Uninhabited Isle, 2 miles North of Bog Burglar Island, Day 14 since Hiccup's Departure

"Stormfly!"

Astrid pounced upon her beloved blue dragon, and the Nadder let out a joyful squawk as Astrid hung on her neck, hugging the dragon tightly.

"Oh, it's only been a few days and I missed you so much, Stormfly," Astrid sighed, snuggling her face into the hard blue scales. "Are you OK?"

Stormfly let out a squawk and nipped Astrid playfully with her beak. Smiling, Astrid stood and scratched her dragon happily. Glancing at the areas where Stormfly had been shot with arrows, she saw that they were healing nicely. Just like herself.

"Are mom and dad inside that tent, girl?" Astrid asked, giving Stormfly a final scratch on the chin.

Stormfly bobbed her head yes as Astrid gestured to the tent next to them.

"Great," Astrid said. "I've got to go talk to them and then we may go for a flight. We may have to go look for Heather, OK, girl?"

Stormfly squawked happily again, ecstatic that Astrid had returned. With one more smile at her faithful dragon, Astrid brushed aside the tent flaps and found herself in a large, cozy tent, with log benches on either side of a nice warm fire.

Her father and mother were there, and so was another person. It was Bashhead, the big girl who was the daughter of Chief Elcroy and the heiress of Bashem Island. And she was in Astrid's tent, talking with her parents like old friends.

"Hey mom, dad," Astrid said, as they all looked up. "Hi Bashhead."

"Hi, Astrid!" Ingrid smiled. "We were wondering how long you would take to arrive. You look a little exhausted. Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please," Astrid groaned, sitting down on the log next to her father. "It was a rough flight."

"What, isn't Thuggory a nice guy?" Ingrid asked. "You wanted to fly with him."

"Oh, he's very nice," Astrid said quickly. Too quickly. Ingrid raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Astrid stammered and then went on. "It's just that I'm so tired, that's why I didn't like the flight. I couldn't really enjoy it because I was asleep."

"Right," Astrid's father Sven said. "And hey, your mother and I need to go and help Gobber get some armor of ours fixed for the battle tomorrow. Bashhead here came by to talk to you, so we'll be off and let you two alone."

"Where's Elaith?" Astrid asked, looking around the tent for her little sister. "I thought you brought her along, too."

"Oh, your sister is with all the little children in Gothi's tent," Ingrid replied. "It's nice to have all the little children away from the battle, but we didn't want to leave her back on Berk. She'll be around later."

"Right," Astrid said.

"The tea is on the fire, have as much of it as you want," Ingrid assured Astrid and Bashhead. "Sven, let's go."

"We'll be back in an hour or so," Astrid's father said, and then the two ducked out of the tent, the flaps closing behind them. Astrid turned to Bashhead, and the big girl from Bashem Island grinned at her.

"Your parents are nice," Bashhead asserted, stretching her legs apart, one on either side of the fire. "And good warriors, too. I just have one complaint."

Astrid raised her eyebrows. "Oh?"

"They didn't give me ale!" Bashhead laughed, picking up her cup of tea disdainfully. "This tea is very good, but I'm a tough girl, give me some tough stuff!"

Astrid laughed with her.

"Ah well, my family only likes to drink ale at meals and celebrations," Astrid chuckled, talking a healthy gulp of her own tea. "Stop whining, Bashhead, you just said you were a tough girl, deal with it."

"Oh, I can deal with that," Bashhead waved a strong hand. "I just like whining. But you know what I can't deal with?"

Astrid looked up. "No. What?"

"See, that's what I came here to talk about," Bashhead said. She set her mug down and leaned back, adjusting the sword on her belt. "I'm frankly disappointed in the way things are going. I mean, it looks like we're going to kick ass and all, but despite all of General Fishleg's and my crazy smart father's strategies, they're missing one thing that can come in very handy in a war."

"And what's that?" Astrid asked, intensely focused.

"An elite squad," Bashhead smiled. She leaned forward. "A group of the best soldiers in the army, who work together as a team and kick some ass. The group that is placed at the front of the battle and does the heavy damage. The best warriors."

"And you're saying we need such a group?" Astrid asked.

"Yes, and I'm not the only one," Bashhead said. "I talked to your friend, General Fishlegs. He heard me out, then agreed with me. He says he will give me the front lines in the battle tomorrow, and I will be the brunt of attack force, me and my elite companions. He assigned me to make the group."

"And – you're here because?" Astrid asked, even though she knew the answer.

"I want you." Bashhead grinned. "I'm looking for the best soldiers, and not just the strongest and biggest, but the smartest. Thuggory is leading the Meatheads in the front, he can't waste time doing what we will be doing. Neither can any of the royalty, for that matter. I would have chosen that badass Tuffnut, but he's Thuggory's right-hand man and can't leave him. Regardless. I need the best, and that's you. Will you join me?"

Astrid met Bashhead's eyes and then nodded. "Yes. I will join your elite squadron, Bashhead."

"Yes!" Bashhead shouted exultingly. "I knew you would. We'll show those Bog Burglars that the dragon riders are the best! "She spat into her hand and held it out. "Shake on it, Astrid."

Astrid looked at the spit-covered palm and grinned. She wasn't afraid of a little spittle. She spat in her own hand, and their palms made a disgusting splat as the two shieldmaidens shook hands.

"I already have some of the best from Bashem Island and the Meathead Isles, just like three or four," Bashhead stated. "With you the group makes five, but I want one more. That black-haired girl you left here. Fishlegs told me to make sure I got her. Is she any good?"

"She's incredible," Astrid said. "She's absolutely ruthless. But – that may be a problem. She left."

"Left?" Bashhead stared. "She left on the eve of battle?"

"No – I don't know," Astrid sighed. "Heather – that's her name - she flew off. Thuggory met her and recognized her as a mercenary that fought for the Outcasts in the Meathead/Outcast war a year ago. He threatened her and scared her, or maybe Killer did most of the scaring. Anyway, she flew away in tears, and Thuggory might have her executed if she comes back."

"Oh, bah!" Bashhead snorted. "I'll talk to Thuggory. If this Heather is a loyal soldier and can help us, then I want her. She can make up for her crimes against the Meatheads by fighting for us. After the Dragon Wars, surely he should learn that our enemies are not always our enemies."

Bashhead rose. "However."

Astrid raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Uh, I forgot." Bashhead fiddled with her sword. "You're a part of my group now, but you – you can't fight with us tomorrow."

"What?!" Astrid set her cup down. "What do you mean?"

"It was orders." Bashhead looked up. "General Fishlegs' orders. Look, I still want you, and in the future, we'll fight together, but Fishlegs said you're not going to be allowed to fight in the front lines tomorrow."

"You're yak-shitting me." Astrid tossed her cup to the ground, hot tea spilling over the dusty ground.

"I'm not. You'll have to take it up with the General," Bashhead said. "I – I'd love to have you with me tomorrow, but -" she sighed. "Orders are orders, and I guess Fishlegs has his reasons."

With that final word, Bashhead turned and left, ducking out of the tent, her broadsword swinging from her waist.

Astrid rose. "Orders!" she muttered, both confused and furious. "What the hell?"

Astrid strode angrily through the camp, which was busy with the shouts of men, the growls and squawks of dragons. It was only ten hours until they flew to the Bog – to battle and war. Things were getting serious. Astrid's destination was the Commander's tent, where General Fishlegs, newly promoted, sat planning. He had for some reason stated that Astrid was not going to be allowed to fight in the front lines, and this made Astrid both furious and confused. She had no idea why.

"Hey, are you Astrid Hofferson?" Someone suddenly called, and from the side of one of the tents a boy emerged. He was dressed in light leather armor and had the Meathead crest on his breastplate. He wasn't the usual Viking warrior, in fact, he was even smaller than Astrid.

Astrid acknowledged him with a curt nod, and not stopping. "That's me."

"I've heard about you," the boy said, jogging to catch up with Astrid, his short sword banging on his hip. "I've heard you're the best warrior on Berk."

"So have I," Astrid snapped. "And I get pretty violent when people annoy me."

"It's an honor to meet you," the boy said. "My name is-"

"I don't care what your name is!" Astrid blurted angrily, whirling on him. "Look, I am NOT in the mood for this. Go and coddle your dragon or something, I'm busy."

The boy stopped. He seemed offended. "All right," he said. "Sorry for bothering you."

Astrid left him behind, but began to feel somewhat sorry for treating the boy so meanly. Hiccup wouldn't have approved. Who was that boy, anyway?

However, the sympathy didn't last long. She remembered why she was so mad as soon as she saw the large red commander's tent, in which Fishlegs was stationed. Her old anger returned, and she stormed up to the entrance, ready to give Fishlegs a good shoutdown. Approaching the tent, Astrid was stopped by two Vikings from Bashem Island, in their neat black armor and spears. They were guarding the tent.

"Do you have an appointment with General Fishlegs?" One asked, as they lowered their spears to block her entry to the tent.

"No, I don't have an appointment," Astrid snapped. "I'm here to talk to Fishlegs about the battle. Is he in there?"

"Yeah, you and every other Viking in the camp," the guard retorted. "He's busy, girl. He won't see anyone."

"Don't girl me!" Astrid exploded. "I'm his friend, let me in there! He'll see me, or he'd better, if he knows what's good for him!"

"Name?" the guard asked sourly.

"Astrid Hilf Hofferson, you Thor-damned goons," Astrid growled angrily. "Get your spears out of my way."

The guard resented her tone, but leaned into the tent. He did not let Astrid pass. He called, "General? An Astrid Hofferson wants to see you."

"Oh." A familiar voice called from the tent. It was Fishlegs. "Send her in," Fishlegs called.

The guard turned back, his face pinched. "All right, Astrid Hofferson. Go on in."

"How kind of you," Astrid muttered sarcastically, and slapped aside the tent flap, going inside. There, in a very large and sizeable tent, sat Fishlegs, with piles of papers on a smooth wooden desk. Piled on the sides of the tent were books, and leaning against his chair was his wooden crossbow. The tent itself was quite luxurious, with furs lining the floor and a cozy fire in the back. There was no one in the tent except Fishlegs. The chubby general was sitting with his brown-haired head bent over a parchment. He didn't even look up when Astrid entered.

Astrid hadn't spoken directly to Fishlegs since their conversation on the very island on which they stood now, and she hadn't even seen him much since his promotion to Battle General. He didn't seem to be much changed. Astrid strode right up to his desk and stopped, ready to give him an upbraiding.

"All right, Legs," she said aggressively, talking down to Fishlegs, who was seated calmly in his chair. "What is this yak-shit I'm hearing about you not letting me fight tomorrow?"

Fishlegs didn't look up. He didn't even acknowledge that Astrid was in the tent.

"I'm one of the best Thor-damned warriors in this army," Astrid went on, growing angrier. "Bashhead wants me to fight in the front lines with her, and so do I! I want to be the first one to the battle! Fishlegs, you are GOING to put me in that group tomorrow. I want to be in the battle, in the front lines, fighting."

Astrid stopped her tirade, and glowered down at the chubby boy. Fishlegs, his head still bowed, finished writing his sentence. Without setting his pencil down, he finally looked up, meeting Astrid's glare with his calm brown eyes.

"No," he said, and looked down to start writing again.

"You don't understand!" Astrid roared, stepping forward and slamming her fist on Fishleg's desk, causing it to shake. "What are you doing to me, you fat fool!? I'm a warrior! I'm one of the best! You know that! Why aren't you letting me fight? I don't get it!"

Fishlegs sighed, and, setting his pencil down, leaned back in his chair. He looked steadily up at Astrid, and spoke calmly.

"I'm not going to let you fight in the front lines tomorrow, Astrid," he said. "I didn't just decide to do it randomly, I made that decision for three reasons."

"What fucking reasons?" Astrid blurted.

"One." Fishlegs raised a finger. "You're injured and your dragon is also injured. Anyone in the front line needs to be fully fit and ready to fight. The front gets all the heavy action. You're not healed yet."

"I am healed!" Astrid argued. "I'm perfectly fine! That reason is yakshit!"

Fishlegs laughed. "No, you're not fine, Astrid," he said. "I removed that arrow myself, and trust me, that wound will be affecting your performance for another week at least. You're not in your best form right now, and I can't have you risked like that, which brings me to reason two." He raised a second finger. "I promised Hiccup I'd keep you safe, and putting you injured in the front lines is NOT that." He raised another finger. "And finally, this is the most important reason why." He paused, then suddenly snapped at Astrid.

"Why do you want to be in the front lines?"

Astrid was stunned, then started to answer. "So that I can – so that I can kill – so that I can do the most good for the army," she stammered.

"That's YAKshit." Fishlegs shook his brown head. "Astrid, we both know what you want. You want Camicazi. That's why you are so determined to fight in the front lines. You're going to ignore any battle plans I give your group if you get the chance to fight that blonde-haired witch. You'll potentially endanger Bashhead's whole group, and I can't have that." Fishlegs looked up at Astrid.

"Be honest, Astrid. Would you go after Camicazi for revenge even if it went against my plan, like you did during the raid?"

"I -" Astrid wavered.

"Be honest!" Fishlegs snapped.

Astrid looked up. "Yes. I would!"

"That's why." Fishlegs leaned back and picked up his pencil once more. "I can't have warriors going off and fighting their own private battles while I'm trying to win a war. If I do this right, we'll crush the entire Bog today, and I can't have any rogue elements messing up the plan, like you. So my decision stands and let me make it official."

Fishlegs pointed his pencil at Astrid. "I'm giving you a command right now, from a general to a subordinate. You, Astrid Hofferson, will not fight in the front lines tomorrow. There is going to be three main assaults, one led by Thuggory and his meatheads, one led by Stoick and the Berkians, and one led by Bashhead and the best warriors. You are not to fight in ANY of those groups. You will remain with the archers in the rear, and engage in NO hand-to-hand combat unless absolutely necessary."

Astrid stood ramrod stiff, her lips pressed tight.

"Is that clear, Astrid?" Fishlegs said emphatically.

"I thought you were my friend, Legs," Astrid said sadly, casting her eyes downward. "Let me kill Camicazi."

Fishlegs blinked. "Is that clear?" He asked again, calmly.

Astrid looked up. "Yes,General," she sneered, and spun on her heel, leaving the tent.

Astrid was no longer enraged. Instead she was icy cold, bitter, and quiet. She knew there was no way she was going to obey Fishleg's order to stay away from the fighting, and she also knew that he was right. For the good of the Dragon Alliance, she should not fight in the group or with the army. However, if she wasn't a part of any group or any part of the battle, she could go after Camicazi alone. Still, in order to do that, she needed to get into the front lines. But how?

She had spent the last twenty minutes flinging her axe violently at trees, taking out her frustration on the forest. However, while it helped to soothe her anger, it did not solve her problem. With a deep sigh, Astrid sat down on a rock, leaning her trusty axe against the stone. Laying her chin in her hands, she began to think. She needed some way to get to the battle and at the same time make Fishlegs never know she was there. She needed a disguise.

"If I could just dress up as someone else to make sure I got to the front of the battle," she muttered. "I need a thin blonde girl like me, who wears a helmet. Then I could switch places with her and fight, and no one would recognize us. But who is there to swap with?"

Astrid furrowed her brows for a second and then laughed out loud.

Ruffnut. Ruffnut Thorston. She was thin, blonde, and always wore a helmet in battle! She was also with Tuffnut, who was Thuggory's wingman. Thuggory would be a part of the front action, which meant that Tuffnut and Ruffnut would be at his side. Ruffnut.

Astrid grinned, and with a laugh, grabbed her axe. She sprung off the rock, ready to run back to the camp. And there was someone there.

"Heather!" Astrid said with surprise.

"Yes, I'm back," Heather said, stepping forward. "I – I had to find you first, before I went back to the camp." Heather had a new black shirt on, and her sword still hung from her belt. Her face was slightly red from crying.

"Look, Heather, I'm sorry about what happened this morning," Astrid said, walking up to her friend. "I had no idea – I mean, Thuggory acted impulsively."

"He was right." Heather came up and sat down on the same rock Astrid had just been sitting on. Astrid turned and sat next to her. "I am a criminal. I fought against his tribe. But the Outcasts hired me, and I couldn't refuse, I was a mercenary, and Alvin paid me well."

"I'm honestly surprised you fought for them after what they did to you and your family," Astrid said quietly.

"I know," Heather said. "But it almost felt good – you know, to be in control of people who once had you in their control. I was a leader of the Outcasts in the battles, I got to yell and sneer at Alvin. It was enjoyable."

"Do you regret it?" Astrid asked.

"Yes," Heather sighed, "But not until today, until Thuggory yelled at me. He's such a brave guy. He's good, he's kind, and he's ferocious, and to see him there, my enemy – it was heartbreaking." Heather looked up, her green eyes meeting Astrid's. "And he wants to have me executed."

"He does not, I'm sure of it," Astrid consoled. "He was just mad. He'll have cooled off by now. Anyways, forget it. Let's go and talk to Hiccup's dad, chief Stoick. I'll ask him to talk to Mogadon, the Meathead chief, if your life ever come into the balance. He knows you, he knows you're good."

Heather smiled. "Thanks, Astrid, I actually would really appreciate that."

"Then let's go!" Astrid got up off the rock. "We'll go and talk to him."

Heather nodded, and with a smile, got off the rock. Astrid threw her arm over Heather's shoulders and they walked into the camp together.

"So," Astrid said. "Do you want to tell me about those scars on your back?"

Heather stiffened. "No."

"All right then," Astrid said cheerfully. "I won't ask, but officially I'm very curious. Those were terrible wounds, Heather."

"I know." Heather was short. "Look, I don't want to talk about my scars, Astrid. I can't."

"OK, OK, I'm sorry," Astrid agreed, giving her friend a squeeze. "Forget it, I won't ask about them again."

"Thanks," Heather said. The two girls had entered the main camp area, and they chanced upon Gobber, who was hobbling past on his peg leg.

"Hey, Gobber!" Heather called. "We're looking for Chief Stoick. Where is he?"

Gobber grinned at the girls. "He's in his personal tent," he drawled. "Relaxin before the big battle tomorrow. Ya girls talk ta him and then get ta sleep. Big day tomorrow. I never liked those Bog Burglars anyway."

"Who does? They lie, cheat, steal, and kill," Heather returned. "Thanks a bunch, Gobber. We'll get to bed."

"But only if you don't sing any songs!" Astrid laughed. "No lullabies floating over the tents tonight, Gobber. Don't even think about singing."

"Aw, is my singin really THAT bad?" Gobber asked.

"Yes!" Astrid called, and they passed on.

"So, where is the Chief's personal tent?" Astrid said. "I guess it's good that he's in there, alone."

"It's the big red one with the Berkian flag over it," Heather said. "I was here earlier and saw it. It's right in the middle, we're almost there."

To Astrid's great surprise there was no guard posted outside Stoick's tent. Fishlegs had two guards, and he was just a General. Stoick had none. Astrid pointed it out to Heather.

"I guess Stoick doesn't need a guard," Heather grinned. "Or maybe his pride won't allow it. Typical for a Viking chieftain."

Astrid laughed. "Well, let's see how reasonable he is. Time to talk to him."

Walking up to the tent entrance, Astrid rapped on the wooden post outside with her knuckles. "Chief Stoick!" She called. "Can we come in?"

There was a rustle in the tent, and then Stoick's voice came out.

"Yes, lass. Come on in."

Astrid looked at Heather, took a deep breath, and the two girls entered.

Chief Stoick's tent was rather simple. It was definitely more luxurious than any of the commoner's tents, but it lacked the feel of importance. Bearskin rugs were on the floor, and a large cot was in the corner. A table and chairs were on the other side, and a giant barrel that contained food and ale. Other than that, nothing was in the tent except for a pile of axes and armor.

Chief Stoick was sitting on the edge of the cot. He looked at the two girls sharply.

Heather and Astrid stopped and bowed. "Chief Stoick."

"Aye, lasses." Stoick sounded tired and disgruntled. "What can I do for you two?"

"Um, we've had a little problem," Astrid said, looking at Heather. "You may have already heard about it from Chief Mogadon or Thuggory. It's about Heather."

Stoick looked up. "Heather?"

"Yeah." Astrid twisted her fingers around her axe handle nervously. "You see, Heather fought as a mercenary for a year leading up to this. She – um, well, in short, she fought for the Outcasts in the Meathead/Outcast war."

Stoick gazed steadily at Heather. "You did?"

"I did, Chief." Heather met Stoick's gaze. "I'm not proud of it, but what's done is done. I needed the money and I wanted the experience. The only problem is now the Meatheads hate me. Thuggory said he'd have me arrested if I returned, and was going to talk to his father about it. That's why I thought you might have heard of the issue."

"Thuggory came to the Chief's meeting this morning with his father," Stoick said. "Neither of them mentioned you."

Heather breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Thor."

"Look, Chief," Astrid said. "I have something to ask. I just wanted to make sure -"

"You don't have to 'Chief' me, lass." Stoick looked up out of his sad eyes. "Stoick is good enough from you to me."

Astrid nodded. "All right, Chief – Stoick."

Stoick smiled sadly. "I was hoping there was to be a time when you would call me 'Dad,'" he said. "Alas, things are not always as we hope them to be."

Astrid swallowed, a lump coming to her throat. "I hoped I would too."

Stoick nodded. "Hiccup should never have been stolen from us. He was – he was special. He wasn't a Viking like us, but he was something more."

Astrid blinked back tears. "I know. He was truly the best person I've ever known."

Stoick swallowed. "I'm sorry. What did you want to ask me?"

"Oh." Astrid turned to Heather. "We just want to be sure that Heather will not be arrested or executed or anything because of what she did a year ago. Can you protect her? She's a good warrior, and she fought bravely for us, for Hiccup. Let her keep fighting, Stoick."

Stoick the Vast gazed up at Heather. He stared at her for a second, then nodded. "Very well. I won't allow you to suffer punishment for your crimes against Mogadon's tribe, as long as you swear your loyalty to Berk, here and now."

Heather looked at Astrid, then back at Stoick.

"I need your solemn vow as a Viking that you will not betray us, oppose us, and that you will obey my commands. I know that you are from a different tribe, but if I order you to fight for me, you have to come and obey whenever I call."

Heather nodded slowly. "I have to swear fealty to Berk – to you, and all the chiefs to come?"

Stoick nodded. "Yes, girl. It is the only way I can protect you in the name of Viking law."

Heather nodded. "Very well."

With a ring, she drew her curved sword and held it aloft for a second, the reflection of the fire flickering off the steel. Her eyes ran up and down the blade, and as they did so her expression changed. Astrid stared as Heather's look turned from a serious, collected gaze to a savage, bitter, and downright evil countenance. Her eyes met Stoick's, and her sword came down. Astrid thought for a brief second that she was going to slice off Stoick's head, but then the sword came all the way to the ground.

Heather knelt, placing the tip of her unbreakable sword in the bearskin rug at her feet.

"I, Heather, hereby pledge my life and service to Stoick the Vast of Berk, and to all chiefs of Berk to come. My sword is yours, my life is yours. On my honor as a Viking."

Stoick rose and placed an enormous hand on Heather's shoulder.

"It is done. Rise, vassal of Berk."

Heather rose, and sheathed her blade. "It's an honor, Chief Stoick," she said. "I can't thank you enough."

Stoick smiled slightly. "It is an honor to have you as a warrior of my tribe," he said. "Hiccup would have been pleased."

Heather smiled.

"You must stay and have some ale with me," Stoick said. "It's tradition for a newly sworn member of the tribe to drink with the chief."

Heather laughed. "All right, then! I can drink! But not too much, we have a battle to fight tomorrow."

"That's right!" Stoick looked fierce. "It's time the Bog Burglars paid for what they did to me, to my tribe, to my son. There is ale in that barrel behind you, Heather. Let us drink to victory. Astrid, lass, will you join us?"

"I actually can't," Astrid confessed. "I have to go and talk to Ruffnut."

Stoick pointed a finger. "Make sure that blonde-haired fool doesn't do anything stupid tomorrow," he said. "But her brother is riding with Thuggory, and Thuggory does NOT allow stupidity, trust me."

"Well I'll tell her you said that," Astrid joked. "Goodbye, Stoick. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodbye, lass."

With a final look, Astrid left the tent, even as Stoick and Heather sat at the table with two mugs of Viking beer.

Moving hurriedly and resolutely, Astrid approached the green tent that the twins housed in. and shoved the flap open, not bothering to knock.

"Hey!" Tuffnut Thorston looked up from his cot as Astrid walked in. "What are you doing in here, Astrid? I was about to get undressed."

Astrid looked at the male twin, bemused. Tuffnut still looked like a ghoul. His face was battered from the thrashing Snotlout had given him two days previous, and he was not a pretty sight.

"Oh, stop whining, Tuff," Astrid reprimanded. She turned to the other cot, where Ruffnut was sitting, combing her hair. "In fact, Thuggory wants to see you, Tuff. Now. In his tent."

"What!?" Tuffnut leapt out of bed. "I wonder what he has to say to me. OK, in his tent, you say? I'm outta here, be back soon, Ruff."

And he was gone.

Astrid stared after him. "Never in my life have I ever seen Tuff obey someone so fast," she said in surprise.

"It's Thuggory," Ruffnut said, lifting up a band to wrap up her ponytails. "Ever since Tuff met him he's been like a devoted slave. But who can blame him, I mean," Ruffnut sighed, "Thuggory is SOOO hot."

"Oh, bosh, Ruff," Astrid said, and sat down by her friend on the cot. "And I know you want to ride next to him and all, so you're not going to like what I'm about to say."

"Uh-oh," Ruffnut said nervously. "Astrid?"

"You and I are going to switch places for the battle tomorrow," Astrid stated. "I'm going to dress up as you and you are going to dress up as me. You will ride Stormfly at the back of the army and I will ride with Tuffnut on Barf at the front of the battle."

"What!?" Ruffnut exclaimed. "What? Astrid, I – I – why?"

"Because Fishlegs isn't letting me fight in the front lines tomorrow." Astrid leaned forward and put a firm hand on Ruffnut's shoulder. "Look, Ruff. I want to kill Camicazi. I'm GOING to kill Camicazi. She killed Hiccup, and need to pay her back for it. I can't do that unless I'm in the front of the battle, and Fishlegs isn't letting me do that. So I need to dress up as you so that I can."

"But I want to fight," Ruffnut protested. "And I'm riding with Thuggory! You can't just steal me away from the cutest boy in the archipelago."

Astrid laughed. "Oh, so THAT'S why you want to be in the front!" She chuckled. "All right, I think I'm doing YOU a favor now. You'll probably get killed in the front lines. The Bog will be expecting us and they'll be sending arrows flying at you. You're not an experienced warrior, Ruff. You'll probably die."

"I don't care," Ruffnut said stubbornly. "I want to do it. Tuff and I are a team. We fight together. You can't come and disrupt our setup, Astrid. I don't want to switch places with you."

"Come on, Ruff," Astrid coaxed, leaning in closer. "Come on, girl. Wouldn't you like to dress up as the great Astrid Hofferson for just one day? You could wear my blue shirt, my armor, my spiked skirt. You can have all the boys after you – come on Ruffnut, you know you want to."

Ruffnut looked agonized. "I – I really wish I could," she admitted. "Gods, that would be fun, I could get into all sorts of trouble and it'd get blamed on you! But Astrid, I've got to fight with Tuff and Thuggory – oh, he's such a dream. I can't let you."

"Oh, you're GOING to let me," Astrid said threateningly, taking her hand off Ruffnut's shoulder. "And here's why."

"Umm, why?" Ruffnut asked, getting the impression that Astrid was about to do something terrible.

Astrid grinned an evil grin, and leaned in to whisper at Ruffnut. "I know who burned down the Jorgenson's barn two weeks ago."

Ruffnut's eyes grew wide. "NO!" She said. "Astrid, NO! I – I – that wasn't me, that was Tuffnut!"

"Oh, I saw you, I KNOW it was you," Astrid crowed triumphantly. "Both Spitelout Jorgenson AND Stoick have wanted to get a hold of the scoundrel who did that. They both suspect you, and when I tell them I saw you do it, they will be SOOO mad."

"Astrid, don't tell them!" Ruffnut pleaded. "Don't do it!"

"Well, I won't," Astrid said. "As long as you and I exchange places tomorrow."

"Thor DAMN it, Astrid," Ruffnut groaned. "Damn you."

"I need to do it, Ruff," Astrid said stolidly. "Nothing will ever stop me from killing Camicazi, and right now you're stopping me. I'm going right through you."

"I hate you," Ruffnut sighed. "You know what, I bet you just want to sit alongside Thuggory yourself."

"I do not!" Astrid cried indignantly. "I told you why I want to."

"Thuggory likes you," Ruffnut said. "I can tell."

"Well, I don't care," Astrid said, although she faltered slightly. "I just want to take your place tomorrow, and if you don't let me, I'll tell the chief and Spitelout that you burned down his barn. Simple as that."

"Uggh, fine, you blackmailer," Ruffnut huffed. "But I should get a little bit more out of this than just all the boys nagging at my heels and getting stuff blamed on you. Do I get to carry your axe?"

Astrid looked up. "No!" she said. "I can't fight without my axe. I need it."

"Uggh," Ruffnut said. "I really want that axe."

"Well, you can't have it," Astrid said. "And one more thing. You can't tell ANYONE that we're going to trade places tomorrow. NO ONE! Not your parents, not Tuffnut, not anybody. You can tell Barf, though. If you don't he'll probably toss me off as soon as I get on him."

Ruffnut laughed. "Don't worry about that," she said. "If everyone knows I'm just dressed as you it'll be no fun for me! And sure, I'll tell Barf, but make sure you tell Stormfly too! I don't want a spike in my butt for sitting on the wrong dragon."

Astrid grinned. "All right. So do we have a deal?"

Ruffnut sighed. "Yes, under duress, but we have a deal." She spat in her hand and held it out. "But you've got to do that nasty handshake."

"Oh, I JUST had to do this with Bashie," Astrid sighed. But she spat in her own hand and ratified the deal by pumping Ruffnut's hand. "OW!" She shouted, and jerked away. In her hand was a pin.

"Ha haha!" Ruffnut laughed. "Got a pin stuck in your hand, Astrid? Oh, I'm so sorry." She cackled again. "Consider that payback!"

"I hate you, Ruff," Astrid growled, plucking the pin from her hand. "If you weren't doing me a favor I'd thrash you."

"This is why I can tolerate doing people favors once in a while," Ruffnut laughed.

"Meet me at my tent early tomorrow morning," Astrid ordered, flinging the pin to the dirt. "We'll switch clothes and dragons. Then it's fun, and then it's war."

"Which is also fun," Ruffnut grinned.

Astrid grinned back.

"Which is also fun."

High Asgard, Day 14 since Hiccup's Departure

Pain. Searing pain.

Hiccup was in a dark and terrible dream. The feel of hot metal, the bubbling of liquid Dragon Iron, and the sickening smell of burning flesh, his OWN flesh, was all around him. And the constant repetition of a seemingly endless query:

"Where is the Sword of Death!?"

Hiccup was on his back on the stone slab. Chains hung from the ceiling of the torture cell, connecting to his biceps and wrists. Hiccup stared in horror. His arms were gone. There was no flesh on his forearms at all. From his elbows down everything had been stripped away, skin, tendons, and muscle. All that remained was his bones, and his skeleton hands and forearms were held in iron vises that were mounted in the stone.

Small, short, sturdy people with beards were all around him, shouting and yelling in Old Norse. With hammers and drills, they were working on Hiccup's hands and forearms, boring holes in his bones with awls and drills.

Then a command was barked, and the short dwarves all nodded, ceasing their operation. Standing tall and terrible over Hiccup was Asgeirr, and he wore a mask of iron spikes over his mouth. In his hand he held a pitcher with a small spout, and it steamed with a heat so overwhelming that it had burned off the flesh of Asgeirr's hand. Hiccup finally understood what was happening.

Asgeirr stepped up to Hiccup's arms, and raising the pitcher, began to pour into holes in Hiccup's fingers, hands, and forearms. Hiccup yelled in horror as his white, smooth bones suddenly changed color. They were transformed from clean tinted white to the distinctive dark silver of dragon iron. He had iron arms.

Hiccup awoke with a jolt, and found himself no longer in the torture chambers. He was back in his familiar room, with the soft white bedding and red walls.

Hiccup took several deep breaths, his eyes roving. He could see. His eyes had been regrown. They had been burned away in the first few minutes of his test.

He had passed.

Hiccup closed his eyes and relaxed in utter relief as he recalled all that Eclipse had done to him, all the horrific mutilations he had underwent. He re remembered the question, repeated a hundred times. Never once had he answered it.

He had passed.

With that, Hiccup fell once more to sleep, but this time his dreams were happy and not haunted by pain and death.

Hiccup then felt something that was more horrible to him than any torture. There was a soft clink, and then something tugged around his neck, and then a chain broke and came away. Astrid's precious Nadder scale!

Hiccup awoke with a yell, and saw the beloved Nadder scale being lifted from his neck.

With a cry of rage, Hiccup jerked his arms forward. They were chained to something, but he found power in his arms that he had not possessed before, and the chains broke. Instinctively he reached for Hicca on his back, and the sword was there. Drawing it with a terrible cry of anger, he leapt from the bed and spun on the person who had taken the Nadder scale.

The person who was standing in front of him was not anyone fearful like Asgeirr or a God. It was Aiah.

Hiccup pointed Hicca at the small girl, and she took a scared step backward, lifting the Nadder scale in front of her face. Her eyes suddenly blazed so brightly with purple light that the entire room was lit with the radiance. She spoke.

"I can send a message back to Astrid through this scale. You have ten seconds to speak a message to her, Kappi. It beginsnow. Speak!"

Hiccup stared down the blade of Hicca at the Nadder scale. The dazzling purple light was reflecting off the smooth steel, and the face of Astrid carved into the blue surface of the Nadder scale seemed to turn and look at him. Astrid's eyes opened.

"Speak!" Aiah cried. "Your time wanes."

Gasping, Hiccup found his voice.

"Astrid," he whispered. "Astrid! Listen, Milady. I'm not dead! I'm NOT! I'm with the Gods." The light began to fade, signaling that his time was running out. He hastily went on. "Astrid, I love you. I will see you again."

Hiccup started to go on, but suddenly a great gust of wind rushed into the room. Aiah's shining white dress billowed in the breeze, and she shouted in a beautiful and powerful voice.

A great flash of purple light exploded, and a resounding boom shook the room, hurling Hiccup backwards. Hicca was torn out of Hiccup's hands and was hurled against the wall. The Nadder scale flashed blue, and then vanished from Aiah's hand completely. The room became still again.

Hiccup had been blasted onto his back, flat on the floor. His face felt seared as if by a great heat, but he was unharmed.

With a groan, he rolled over and pushed himself up. He gasped as he did so, for his arms were so strong that he nearly pushed himself up off the floor. Amazed, he got to his feet and saw Aiah. She appeared completely unaffected by the blast, and stood facing him, her purple eyes rounded in fear.

"I'm sorry, Kappi," she whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you up, I just wanted to take your Nadder scale. I was going to let you use it to send a message later, but when you woke I had to do it then. I'm so sorry."

Aiah bent down and picked up Hicca off the floor, the bright steel blade balanced against her palm. She offered it to Hiccup, who was still blinking slowly.

"I'm sorry," Aiah said again, casting her eyes down.

Hiccup reached out and took up his sword from Aiah's hands. "Don't be sorry," he said, sheathing the blade on his back. "I was – having a bad dream."

Aiah looked back up at him. "But I failed," she said sadly. "I made a spell that allowed that message to be sent, but it wasn't complete yet. I needed the scale to complete it. That message was recorded and the scale has been sent back to Midgard, but not directly to Astrid. It'll be sent back to the spot from which you were taken."

Hiccup nodded. "I see. But thank you all the same, I didn't think any message would be sent at all, at least I now have a chance."

Aiah smiled.

Hiccup looked down at his hands, at his body. He was scantily clad, for he only wore black leggings and his sword buckle. His chest was completely bare, and caked with dried blood. He touched it gingerly.

"What did they do to me, Aiah?" He whispered. "They – they tortured me. They asked me questions, they did terrible things to me."

"It was the test," Aiah told him, putting a soothing hand on his arm. "They needed to know if you would break under torture. You did not. You passed."

"My arms," Hiccup whispered. "Aiah, what did they do to my arms!"

Aiah smiled. "They remade them," she said. "They did it with the other two riders they trained, but only gave them hands. They tried a new method on you and it worked. Your forearms and hand bones are not bones anymore. They're made of metal. Dragon Iron, the hardest metal ever. Unbreakable. You can block swords with those arms."

Hiccup gulped, and then rapped his knuckles together. Sure enough, instead of a dull thud, there was a clank of metal under the skin.

"I don't believe it," he muttered. "It's not natural."

Aiah laughed, her sweet voice echoing in Hiccup's room. "Of course it isn't natural," she said. "But it's made you better. Metal arms. It's lighter and stronger than bone. Your hands and arms will move faster now."

Hiccup smiled. "Metal arms and hands." Lowering them, he looked at Aiah again. "Why wouldn't you see me yesterday, Aiah?" he asked. "I looked for you."

Aiah nodded. "I am sorry, Kappi, but I was working on that spell that could send you a message, and I could not break my concentration."

"Oh, good," Hiccup said, sitting down on his bed. "I thought for some reason you just didn't want to see me anymore."

"Oh, no!" Aiah smiled. "You can come to see me whenever you desire."

"Great," Hiccup smiled. Then he glanced around. "I'm a bloody, gory mess. I just got tortured to death. I should clean up. It doesn't seem right that you, in that pure, shining white dress, should be talking to me without a shirt and covered in blood."

"It does not bother me," Aiah laughed. "But yes, you should clean up!" She clapped her hands. "It's Thor's day of birth. There's a big party. You're supposed to attend!"

"Right!" Hiccup laughed. "Thor invited me personally. I should go bath and get changed. Some celebration is needed after that experience I just had."

Hiccup rose to his feet, and as he did so, the door opened. Asgeirr walked in.

Hiccup's pleasant, happy countenance immediately shifted when he saw Asgeirr, and Asgeirr's face also changed when he saw Aiah. Aiah looked up at him coolly, and Asgeirr seemed shaken.

"Out," he said to her unceremoniously.

"As you wish," Aiah said, and glided past him and out the door. It closed behind her with a click.

Asgeirr looked up at Hiccup. Hiccup looked back at him, and for a second the two stared at each other. Then Asgeirr stepped forward and presented his hand.

"Congratulations," he said. "You have passed the first Level of my training, in a record time. A remarkable achievement."

Hiccup looked at Asgeirr's extended hand and then back at Asgeirr. He did not move to take it.

"I know," Asgeirr said. "I just tortured you to death. I have abused you and battered you, and made you subject to my will. I have changed you and hallowed you, and you feel no sense of victory after passing this Level. But I have no wish to cause you pain or harm, as much as I actually do. It is my task, what I am assigned by the Gods to do. I am doing it to the best of my abilities, and you are not supposed to like me. I understand."

He kept his hand outstretched, and Hiccup slowly reached out to grab it. The two shook firmly.

"From this day on," Asgeirr said, "I am no longer your tormentor. The first stage, the stage where I break you down, is over. Now I build you back up. I am here as a mentor, a trainer, a real Master."

Hiccup nodded. "Master."

Asgeirr smiled.

"So when do I get to see Toothless!?" Hiccup shouted exultingly, suddenly remembering. "You said when I passed this test I could see him! I want to, right now!"

Asgeirr laughed. "You shall see him today, but he's not here yet. He's still being transferred from Alfheim, and coming with him is Alfheim's Captain Kaldr and his dragon Brenakir. They will be your principal trainers from now on."

"Kaldr will be training me?" Hiccup asked, awed.

"Yes, the elf Kaldr." Asgeirr grinned. "My old student. He knows more about dragon riding and dragonback fighting than anyone else in the nine realms except perhaps – Zyon."

Hiccup nodded. "I see."

"But," Asgeirr chuckled, "While you are waiting for Toothless to arrive, you can go get cleaned up. You have a birthday party to attend, and you're already late."

"This is a sexy looking outfit," Hiccup grinned, looking down at himself and plowing his hair to the side. "Almost makes me want to break my rule and look in the mirror."

Ever since Asgeirr left him, Hiccup had taken a hot bath, eaten, trimmed his nails, and shaved. Then he had dressed in a fine red and black tunic, with no burdensome armor or thick leather. It fit perfectly and Hiccup had no doubt he looked fancier than he ever had in his life before. The only thing out of place was Hicca, which was buckled securely across his back as usual.

With a last grin at the magnificent garb, Hiccup opened the door to his room and walked out, a smile on his face and a hop in his step. For the first time in a long time he felt good. Aiah had sent a message for him, which was the best he could do, he had defied the Asgardian Council, he had passed his first test, he was going to see Toothless again, and now he was going to attend a party.

With a final check of his overall appearance, he opened the door of his room and strode out.

Swinging down the halls cheerfully, he followed the directions Asgeirr gave him and made the turns through the fancy palace of Asgard to a fine hallway that was decorated by banners and flags. This was the entry to the party. Walking briskly up the door at the end, he was stopped by a pleasant, smiling doorman, and Hiccup was astonished at how polite he was. No one had ever been so polite on Asgard.

"And who might you be?" The doorman asked, with a gracious bow.

"I'm Hiccup, the new Rider," Hiccup grinned. "Thor invited me to his party. It's in here, right?"

"Ah, Riddari Hiccup!" The doorman bowed respectfully. "Yes, you are invited! Thor has even asked about you. Go right on in."

"Thank you." The doorman opened the door for Hiccup and he swung into a large room. Stopping, he took in the room.

It was a banner show. The entire large hall was decorated fully, with golden banners and statues all over. Music was playing, a large dance was going on in the middle of the floor, and relaxing seats were on the sides. All kinds of amusements were all over, and there was even a fighting ring in one corner. At the head of the hall was a long, unbelievably huge dining table, which was now in the after-meal process. People were sitting around it, drinking and laughing, and the God Odin himself sat at the head, with his wife Frigga beside him. Hiccup had seen them in the Council, but they looked much more pleasant and relaxed in their current environment.

"My lord," someone said, and Hiccup turned to see a small, smiling man next to him.

"Welcome to the party," the man said. "I am here to announce your arrival, you are the last guest to arrive. What is your name and title?"

"I – I have no real title," Hiccup stammered. "My name is Hiccup Haddock, Riddari of Midgard."

"Hiccup," the man smiled. "So you're the new rider. Very well." Stepping forward, he raised a device to his mouth and spoke, his voice echoing through the device across the entire hall.

"Lords and Ladies, may I present to you the Riddari of Midgard and Captain of Asgard in training, Lord Hiccup Haddock!"

The entire hall stopped and turned to look at Hiccup. The dancing stopped, the musicians stopped playing, and the whole of the party stood still to stare at him. Hiccup was surprised, but took the attention with a grin.

"Hiccup!" Thor rose from a great couch in the center of the room, where he was surrounded by ladies and food and drink. "Welcome! Come in and enjoy the festivities!"

Grinning, Hiccup waved at Thor and strode into the room. The crowds parted for him, and he walked down the sea of people, who stood pointing at him and whispering. Hiccup's grin only got wider as he went on. Girls were hiding behind their fans and making eyes at him. Men were staring in wonder and respect.

"Hiccup, my friend!" Thor called from his seat on a large half-circled couch. "Welcome, again!"

"Thor," Hiccup grinned, walking up to the big God and grasping his hand. 'It's good to be here."

The dancing had resumed and the music started up again, and the buzz of activity resumed.

"Good to have you!" Thor was jovial, smiling from ear to ear. "Come and sit with me, get some food and ale."

"Right on," Hiccup answered, and Thor threw a big arm over his shoulder, leading him to the massive red lounge that he had been sitting on. It was the most luxurious thing Hiccup had ever seen for sitting on.

"Take a seat," Thor laughed, dropping down to his spot between two beautiful, scantily-clad women. "There's good company here."

"Uhh," Hiccup stammered, as one of the women pulled him down onto the couch next to her. "OK."

Hiccup blinked as the young, attractive woman slid her arms around him, one in front and one behind, laying her head on his shoulder. Another smiling serving girl handed him a goblet of wine, even as another woman sat down on his opposite side. Her dress was revealing and very engaging.

"How are you, Riddari Hiccup?" the first woman smiled at him, reaching her hand up to his head and touching his smoothed brown hair. "You look dashing."

"Dashing and handsome," the second laughed, sliding a hand over Hiccup's chest. "I like your hair, too."

"I could sleep on this arm all night," the first whispered seductively as she snuggled tighter into his shoulder. "So gentle and strong."

Hiccup was both shocked and amused at the same time. He tried to set his goblet of wine down, but one of the women took it from him and set it down for him.

"Not thirsty, are we?" She asked. "Neither am I. I'd like some other kind of amusement, what about you?"

Hiccup found his voice. "Look," he said. "I have no idea -"

"I like that braid in your hair, my lord," the second commented, sliding one of her well-shaped legs over Hiccup's thigh and reaching up to touch it.

"Don't touch that braid," Hiccup said, brushing her arm away and awkwardly trying to get her leg off of him.

"Oh, it's too personal to touch," the first giggled, sliding her hand down from his chest to his stomach and still lower.

"Hey, hold on a minute," Hiccup began, but the second spoke again.

"Can I hold your sword?" She asked, with a wink, reaching up to Hicca and wrapping her fingers around the hilt.

That did it. Hiccup was snapped out of his awkward, confused state.

"Don't touch my sword!" he shouted, leaping off the couch, almost knocking both of the women over. He spun and looked down at them, both of them wide-eyed in shock.

"No one touches this sword but me," Hiccup said sternly. "And I'd prefer if you didn't touch me at all."

His outburst had collected a sizeable audience, and now many people were looking in Hiccup's direction. The two women seemed thoroughly embarrassed, and Hiccup was too.

As he was about to speak again, he felt a soft, soothing touch on his shoulder. Turning, he was dazzled by the beauty of the Goddess Eir. Her shining, adorable blue eyes met his for a brief second before turning to the two women who were still staring. Eir was wearing a stunning pink dress which clasped over her shoulders with golden circlets, leaving her arms bare.

She spoke to the women. "Hiccup is not yet accustomed to the ways of the Aesir," she smiled. "Forgive him."

Without waiting for a reply she turned and slid her smooth arm through Hiccup's, leading him away. Hiccup was still gaping. Never in his life had he ever seen someone so beautiful as the Goddess Eir, and here she was, leading him down to a private alcove, where a couch and a table sat.

"Sit with me, Riddari," she smiled, gesturing to the pink divan.

Slowly, Hiccup sat, and Eir, still with a smile on her face, sat next to him. The divan matched her dress perfectly, and the small golden bracelet on her wrist danced as she beckoned to a server to bring some refreshments.

"Uh, thanks for rescuing me from that," Hiccup chuckled, rubbing his knees awkwardly. "I guess I have a lot to learn about being a – a hero."

Eir laughed, a sound which made Hiccup's heart beat faster. "No," she explained. "Although all the important people get treated as such, it is just Thor's style, he took you up to his personal contingent of – of admirers. Thor is a wonderful, pleasant person, but his one fault is too many women."

"Is there such a thing?" Hiccup laughed, and Eir opened her mouth in indignation.

"I thought you didn't like it!" She rapped him on the head playfully.

"Ow," Hiccup muttered, rubbing his head. "And no, I was just joking."

"Did you just say 'ow'?" Eir mocked. "You were just tortured to death yesterday, and THAT little tap hurt you? I'm disappointed in you."

"I was being polite," Hiccup smiled. "It'd be interesting to see how much you could hit me before I felt any pain. Strength isn't one of your qualities, Eir."

"Hey." Eir slapped at him, and Hiccup snapped his hand up to catch her wrist.

"Ow!" Eir looked at her hand, in Hiccup's solid grip. "Your hands! They're made of metal!"

Hiccup laughed. "Sorry. Now it's your turn to say ow. Don't slap me next time."

Eir scowled, and Hiccup, laughing, let her wrist go. She rubbed it.

"You're mean, Hiccup."

Hiccup leaned back with a yawn. "If there's one thing I've learned so far, it's that you have to be mean to survive around here."

"Oh, so not true," Eir argued, leaning her chin on her hand. "You don't have to be mean. I'm not mean."

"Really?" Hiccup teased. "Bashing me brutally on the head like you did a few minutes ago? That's abusive."

"You provoked me." Eir scowled again, rubbing her wrist pointedly.

"What I meant," Hiccup said, "was to survive my training I have to be mean. If I wasn't, I might be off fighting the – The Wolf right now instead of sitting here, talking with a beautiful Goddess."

"What did you call me?" Eir smiled at him, and Hiccup began to open his mouth awkwardly when the serving girl came to the rescue. With a smile she placed a tray of some small food and fruit juice on the table for them. Bowing, she left, and Hiccup changed the subject.

"All this food," he said, looking at the tray. "There's nothing like this back where I came from."

"If I recall correctly, you have a rather austere background," Eir commented, reaching out to pick a slice of cheese from the platter.

"Yep." Hiccup picked up his goblet and sipped the juice. It was sweet and cool. "It was a rough but fun life."

"What was it like down there?" Eir asked. "How were the people?"

"Nice enough." Hiccup hesitated.

"Nice enough?" Eir raised a golden eyebrow, taking another dainty bite of cheese. "I can read you like a book, Hiccup. You weren't treated too well, were you?"

Hiccup sighed, setting his goblet down. "At first, no," he admitted. "I was the heir to the tribe, but I was – a loser. I wasn't a real Viking, I'm still not. I was small, skinny, didn't like killing and bashing things."

Hiccup paused, and Eir nodded. "Go on, Hiccup."

"I just wanted to fit in," Hiccup said quietly. "But I never could. The boys jeered me, the girls laughed at me, and the men shoved me aside. I was never a real Viking."

Eir frowned. "Then how did they grow to like you?"

"I – I opened their eyes." Hiccup leaned back. "I was finally able to get past the Viking stubbornness when I used the dragons to beat the Red Death. Then they saw that dragons were good, and we could live together. Then I became a hero. I had the respect of the men, the boys admired me, and the girls loved me."

Hiccup grinned wryly.

"Do you have a special girl waiting for you back home?" Eir asked softly, with a tinge of sadness.

Hiccup looked up. "I do. At least – I hope I do."

"You love her?" Eir asked.

"I love her," Hiccup said slowly. "At least – I thought I did. I was going to propose to her soon, but I was taken first."

"Think?" Eir was not smiling, but was very sincere. "You don't THINK you love someone. Do you love her? Does she love you back?"

"I – I don't know," Hiccup stammered. "Look, coming here to Asgard opened my eyes, and I can see things from a different prospective. Maybe Astrid just wanted me because I was the heir, because I was cool. Astrid loves being in control. She loves fighting, leading, winning. She's a real Viking, glory is one of her passions. If she were to marry someone, it'd be a chief, a powerful chief whom she could achieve her dreams with. And that's me. So I'm nervous. What if she doesn't truly love me?"

Hiccup stopped, and then glanced down.

Eir nodded. "I understand. Be careful who you love, Hiccup. And also be patient. Don't fall for the first girl that kisses you. Wait until you understand yourself, who you are, and who you are going to be."

Hiccup met Eir's gaze. "I'm going to become more powerful than any man, woman, and child on Midgard," he stated.

Eir reached out and took his hand, and Hiccup thought she shivered.

"You are going to become like a God," she told him, squeezing his hand. "Find a good match for a God."

She let his hand go, and smiled at him.

Hiccup grinned back. "So, what about you?" He asked cheekily. "How many handsome, sculpted young Gods do you have at your heels?"

Eir opened her mouth defensively but then smiled.

"I have none that I really like. I don't want anyone tagging at my heels. Why would that ever matter to you?"

"It – it doesn't," Hiccup stammered. "I mean, I'm just teasing you."

"Teasing a Goddess?" Eir winked at him. "That seems brazen of you."

"I'm bold sometimes." Hiccup grinned, looking out to the dance floor. "I'm feeling especially bold right now." He got up and offered his hand to Eir. "Dance with me?"

Eir smiled up at him. "I'd love to," she said, and took Hiccup's hand, rising. She linked her arm through his and Hiccup, feeling like the most important person in the nine realms, led her to the dance floor. Suddenly Hiccup stopped short.

"Wait," he laughed. "What am I doing?" He turned to look at Eir. "Sorry, but I - I don't know how to dance."

Eir laughed. "I'll teach you how. It's easy."

"Sorry," Hiccup laughed, as Eir pulled him into the sea of dancers. "As a one-legged Viking I never had the opportunity to try this."

"You aren't one legged anymore," Eir reminded him, as she slid her arm over Hiccup's. "Here. One hand in mine, one hand here." She slid his hand down to her waist. She looked up at him, her eyes dancing. "And just go with the music!"

Laughing, she spun Hiccup into the beat.

Hiccup had never had so much fun. Eir's touch was mesmerizing, her deep azure eyes were enthralling, and the golden beauty and charm she possessed made Hiccup lose all sense of time and the harsh world around him. The brutality of his training, memories of The Wolf, and his recent torture melted away. He was dancing with Eir, and that was all that mattered.

At several points in the dancing the music changed to a slow, caressing pitch, and when that happened Eir would drape both her arms over his shoulders and they would dance slowly together. Hiccup never wanted to leave.

It was during one of these moments that someone tapped him on the shoulder. Hiccup broke his deep gaze with Eir to look with annoyance at the interruption. It was Thor.

"You," Hiccup laughed, stopping the dance with Eir and standing beside her, his hand on her waist. "What do you want, Thor?"

"I want your partner," Thor laughed. "Come, Eir, why don't you ever dance with me? Please do me the honor."

Eir laughed. "Thor, you never have a problem finding anyone to dance with you."

"True," Thor admitted, "But not one so beautiful. You refuse to dance with me every time I ask and now as soon as Hiccup arrives you swoop in like a hawk."

"Nonsense, Thor," Eir chided. "Maybe I only dance with the best."

"I am the best!" Thor laughed. "Hiccup, do you think you are better than me?"

Hiccup grinned. "I think we'd better let the Goddess determine that."

"Oh, come off of it," Thor grinned. He looked at Hiccup. "Actually, forget dancing, Hiccup, and I wasn't about to steal your lovely companion. I just want to talk toyou. May I have a minute?"

Hiccup looked at Eir. "Sure," he said, and the three walked out of the massive group of dancers till they reached the outside. Then Hiccup turned to the golden-haired Goddess. "All right, Eir, I'll be back in a minute."

Eir pouted. "I'll be lonely without you. I feel like dancing."

"Well, I have to go talk to this clown," Hiccup said. "I'll be back, Goldie." With a grin, he kissed Eir on the cheek and gestured to Thor. "Let's go."

Thor and Hiccup walked off away from the dancers, and Thor, looking back at Eir as they left, whistled.

"I didn't know you were on such good terms with that beauty," he marveled. "I salute you, Hiccup, my man!"

Hiccup grinned sheepishly. "She likes me."

"No shit," Thor laughed. "I don't know what's gotten into her. She's always been jolly and silly and childish, but she's never taken to anyone like she has now. Capitalize, my friend!"

Hiccup grimaced. "You know, I told you about my girlfriend," he said.

Thor laughed. "You've got the most beautiful – a Goddess – breathing on your lips and you're not willing to ditch what's her name… Astrid?"

"I – I don't know," Hiccup faltered. "I've learned a lot about myself and I've changed since I came up here, but I'm not sure – I don't know if I love her or if she loves me. Anyway. Did you call me aside to tell me to get after Eir, or was there something else?"

Thor laughed. "Right. Girls always distract me from everything. So, in the Council meeting yesterday, when you insulted my father, he turned to me and asked me if I could thrash you. I was about to answer but then realized I wasn't sure if I even could. Obviously, against me and my hammer Mjolnir you would have no chance, but with fists -" Thor smiled. "I'd like to fight you in the boxing ring."

Hiccup blinked slowly. "Thor. Are you serious? I didn't come here to fight, I came to have fun."

"It will be fun!" Thor gestured to the boxing ring in the corner. "We'll have a civilized contest. Just fists. It's entertainment."

"Not my type," Hiccup argued. He turned back to look at Eir, who was standing waiting for him.

"It's tradition for me to fistfight someone on my birthday," Thor explained. "I pick the one who I think will be a challenge and take them on. And," he added, "I usually win."

Hiccup looked up at the golden-eyed God. "Are you taunting me?"

"Yes," Thor laughed.

Hiccup shook his head, laughing with his giant friend. "All right, I can't believe I'm doing this," he said. "But Thor, I accept your challenge. I'll box you."

"Yes!" Thor shouted, and with a grin, pounded Hiccup on the shoulder. "This will be fun!"

"Fun?" Hiccup sighed. "I don't savor the idea of getting one of your fists in my face."

"Oh, we'll wrap our hands up so we won't break any noses," Thor assured him. "And we won't fight to a knockout, either. Just until one is down for eight seconds. That way things won't get out of hand."

"If you say so," Hiccup chuckled. "So when does the contest start?"

"How about right now? No better time than the present," Thor answered.

Hiccup winced. "I guess getting it over with is a good policy."

"You don't seem excited," Thor frowned.

"I'm not, really," Hiccup admitted. "I mean, I fight more than enough these days. I don't stand to gain anything from this."

"Ah." Thor grinned. "So shall we make a little bet?"

Hiccup laughed. "Thor, you're just crazy."

"Am I?" Thor smirked cheekily. "All right, Hiccup, let's throw a little motivation on the table. Here's the challenge. Whoever wins this fight has to go straight over to the Goddess Eir and kiss her. No backing out."

Hiccup laughed loud and long. "This sounds like motivation for you, Thor, not me!" he laughed. "I don't need to win a fight to have the right to kiss Eir."

Thor smiled. "Well if she slaps you for it you can say it was part of the challenge," he laughed. "Come on, Hiccup, you know you want to win now."

"All right, you've hooked me," Hiccup admitted ruefully.

"Good!" Thor pumped his fist. "Now I get to kick your ass and kiss Eir! It's like it's my birthday twice in one day."

"Crowing a little early, I'd say," Hiccup quipped.

"Oh, do you really think you can beat me? Thor asked.

"We'll just have to find out," Hiccup grinned.

"That's the spirit!" Thor clapped Hiccup on the back. "All right, we are ON! I'm going to announce this right now. This will be the event of the day. Meet me over at the ring!"

Hiccup saluted, and Thor pushed his way through the crowd and up to the dais upon which his father and mother sat. Hiccup turned and walked towards Eir, who had a look of askance on her face.

"What was all that about?" She asked.

Hiccup sighed and gestured to the dais. Eir turned her gaze to the platform, and both Goddess and Dragon rider saw Thor jump up to the table enthusiastically.

"Oh dear," Eir said.

"People of Asgard!" Thor raised his voice, picking up his hammer Mjolnir and pounding the table with it. "I have an announcement!"

Everything stopped, the music, the dancers, all the games, and everything. When Thor spoke to a crowd, everyone listened.

Thor waited until he had the full attention of his guests. The big God, now having everyone's interest aroused, smiled his charming smile and went on.

"As you all know, it is tradition for me to battle someone in the ring to celebrate my birthday! I'm not quite drunk enough to do anything stupid, and I feel strong! It is time for me to fight!"

The crowd cheered, and Thor raised a hand to silence them.

"Today I've picked perhaps the first good match I shall have in many years! It is not often that I get a Dragon Rider attending my birthday, and, as luck would have it, today I do! I will be fighting the Rider of Midgard, Hiccup Haddock!"

The crowd roared in approval at Thor's announcement, and everyone turned to look at Hiccup as he stood grinning up at Thor. Odin, who was seated next to his son, gazed steadily at Hiccup. Hiccup met his gaze, but was tugged away by Eir. She faced him.

"You silly idiot," Eir chided.

"Oh, come on," Hiccup laughed. "It'll be – fun."

"I wanted to dance with you."

"Well, sorry, my honor as a fighter is calling me to battle," Hiccup grinned. "But I'll dance with you after I revive from getting knocked out."

Eir made a face. "Maybe I won't feel like dancing then."

"Oh dear, that'll put me out of a Goddess for a partner," Hiccup joked, seemingly unconcerned. "I guess I'll just dance with Frigga instead."

Eir laughed heartily, placing a beautiful hand on Hiccup's chest.

"Oh, you're just too good," she said, looking up at him merrily. "That would be a sight to see, you dancing with Odin's own wife!"

"Well I'm about to fight Odin's son," Hiccup asserted. "And the crowd is cheering for me. I've got to go."

Eir wrapped her arms around his chest. "Well, you are a fool, but good luck," she smiled, hugging him. "If you're as good a boxer as you are a dancer, you'll be fine."

"How comforting," Hiccup muttered sarcastically. "Now I'm off to battle a God. See you later."

"Have fun!" Eir called after him, as he made his way through the crowd to the boxing ring. People slapped him on the back and gave words of advice as he walked by. When he reached the ring, Thor was already there, getting his knuckles wrapped with cloth.

Taking a deep breath, Hiccup hopped spryly up to the ropes and ducked under them. He had seen enough boxing matches as a Viking to know how they worked, but he had never been in any himself. He walked to the opposite corner to Thor, where a stool sat. As he came up to the stool, he saw someone pushing his way through the crowd to his corner.

It was Asgeirr.

Hiccup couldn't help but break out laughing as he saw the look on Asgeirr's face. His Master pushed his way through the last few people and stepped up to the ropes.

"What madness are you getting involved in now?" Asgeirr spoke in exasperation. "You finally get a day off and you decide to squander it by battling Gods? For amusement!?"

Hiccup laughed, and picked up the cloth to start binding his hands. "You're training me to fight Gods, right? This is practice. You should be happy, Master."

"Happy!" Asgeirr snorted. "This won't be practice, it'll be a massacre. Thor will eat you alive."

"Probably," Hiccup grinned. "But I'm not one to back down from a challenge." He looked over his shoulder at Thor, who was leaning on the ropes exchanging small talk with some ladies. "Besides, the winner gets to kiss Eir. Any words of expert advice from my good friend Asgeirr?" Hiccup chuckled.

Asgeirr sighed. "If you insist on continuing with this ridiculous nonsense, I suppose you might as well do it right. Just remember what Vulcan taught you. Thor is big and strong but slow. He's also probably half-drunk by now. Dart in and out, tire him, confuse him."

Hiccup nodded. "Right."

"And don't be scared of his muscles," Asgeirr added. "Thor is impossibly strong, and his punches will feel like someone threw an anvil in your face, but The Wolf has taught you to take pain, so you'll be fine. Don't be afraid to take a few of those bludgeons."

"That's right," Hiccup replied.

"And," Asgeirr leaned forward and spoke in an undertone. "Despite all appearances, you have one advantage." He whispered. "Jarn af vapna."

Hiccup grinned. "Iron arms."

"Exactly," Asgeirr smirked. "Thor doesn't know you have them. He's probably forgotten that you have metal hands, and he has no idea your arms are also Dragon Iron. It'll catch him off guard and will also cause your blows to be very painful. So with that in mind," Asgeirr leaned forward, "make your first punch a brutal one. It might surprise him enough to knock him off his feet. Please tell me you aren't battling to a knockout."

"Oh, no," Hiccup laughed. "Although he'll most likely knock me out. The first to get knocked down and stay down for five seconds is the loser."

"Dear God." Asgeirr stepped back from the ropes. "Well, you're doomed, Hiccup."

Hiccup roared with laughter.

"Thank you for your kind support, Master," he chuckled, turning back to the ring. "I'll keep that heartwarming forethought in mind."

"Have – fun," Asgeirr laughed, and Hiccup, finishing wrapping his knuckles, sat down on the stool to take off his shoes. Handing them to Asgeirr, he stepped forward to the center of the ring, rolling his shoulders. Thor, seeing him, straightened up and grinned.

"Hiccup is ready!" He shouted to the crowd. "Are you all!?"

The crowd thundered their approval, and Hiccup stood still as Thor raised a hand to quiet them.

"The rules are simple," Thor announced. "I'm a simple man. Only fists are allowed, and no punches below the belt. First man or God to get knocked down for eight seconds is the loser. Make sense!?"

"YES!" The people cheered.

"Then let's get started!" The multitudes cheered and pounded tables as Thor pumped his arms. Then, with a smooth, practiced motion, Thor stripped off his shirt.

Oohhs and aahhhs came from the crowd, and Hiccup heard a shrill female voice yell, "I love you Thor!"

Thor smiled back, waving a hand and flexing his giant biceps, to the delight of the people. Hiccup laughed, and Thor turned to flex at Hiccup jokingly. Everyone looked at Hiccup expectantly.

"Shirts off," he grinned to himself, and, with a shrug, took hold of his collar and tugged off his black and red shirt.

There were no ooohhhs and aaahs. Instead there was a low murmur from the people, one of respect. Hiccup did not look like a God. He did not have biceps the size of a man's leg, like Thor, and he did not weigh as much as a horse. But he was shredded.

His muscles were lean and powerful, sleek and easy-flowing. He looked every bit as dangerous at Thor, if not more. He was not the boy who had been taken from Midgard only two weeks ago. With the help of magic, he had grown strong.

Thor noticed it too, and Hiccup thought he saw the look in the God's golden eyes become a little more cautious than before. Hiccup also noticed some girls at the edge of the ring looking him over and pointing. He had never had anyone look at him with awe when he took off his shirt, and the feeling was rather strange to him.

Thor and Hiccup walked to the middle of the ring, and faced each other.

"Hiccup, I just want to make clear that I don't have anything against you," Thor told him with a broad grin, clapping him on the shoulder. "I like you, in fact. But when I fight, I fight. No mercy. I'll hit you like a hammer on an anvil."

Hiccup grinned. "I won't take it easy on you either. No hard feelings, let's just have some fun."

"Right." Thor smiled. "And remember, the winner has to kiss Eir."

"My kind of motivation," Hiccup laughed, and Thor winked.

"I've wanted to kiss her for a long time," Thor teased. "Maybe today is the day."

"We'll see." Hiccup raised his hands, and he and Thor bumped knuckles.

Then it began. Scarcely had Hiccup time to get set before Thor swung, and the blow came harder and faster than any fist he had ever seen in his life. With a yelp, he ducked, and felt Thor's hook go right through his hair.

Hiccup remembered Asgeirr's tips just in time. Thor was right after him, swinging, and Hiccup danced backward, evading the punches.

The crowds began to laugh. "Get him, Thor! He's afraid, Thor! Take him! Stop running!"

Thor kept pressing Hiccup towards his corner, and when he got there he easily ducked under one of the Gods big punches and came out behind him. Thor had not yet landed a punch; in fact, he had not even touched Hiccup.

"You're quick," Thor commented, doubling up his fists again.

"And a good thing, too," Hiccup chuckled nervously.

"But not quick enough!" Thor shouted, and sprang on Hiccup. This time his fists connected.

The crowds screamed in delight as Thor pummeled Hiccup, hammering him into the corner. It looked like the fight was already won, for Hiccup was cowering under the onslaught, looking defeated. However, anyone who knew about boxing could see that Hiccup wasn't being hurt at all. He was keeping Thor's fists away from his face and simply deflecting them, taking away their force and power. Hiccup wasn't getting hurt in the slightest. However, the crowd didn't know that, and they kept cheering crazily for Thor.

"Get him, Thor!" "You got him!" "Flay him!"

Hiccup was hiding under the cover of his arms, feeling Thor's giant fists hit his body, his sides, his arms. He heard the crowd all cheering for his opponent, and he gritted his teeth, watching with his eyes carefully from under his arms. Waiting.

All of a sudden the whirlwind of Thor's blows ceased, and every mouth in the crowd's jaw dropped as the scene suddenly changed.

Thor staggered backward and fell to the mat, his body quivering as he tried to recover from the vicious uppercut Hiccup had just dealt him. Hiccup had struck the big God with such suddenness and accuracy that no one had even seen it.

Hiccup stood above him, his smooth muscles already coated with a light sweat. He breathed deeply and counted with a calm, cool voice. He did NOT seem defeated in the slightest.

"One. Two. Three."

The people were struck dumb with awe, and then they roared their approval. When Thor began to move at the count of one they began to cheer and scream, now expecting a very good fight. On the count of six Thor rolled to his knees, and Hiccup stepped back to let him stand. Thor staggered to his feet and then stepped back, dazed. He shook his head.

"I forgot," he admitted ruefully, rubbing his chin with his wrapped hand. "You now have Jarn af munr."

Hiccup laughed, tapping his elbows for the odd clinking sound. "No. Jarn vapna."

Thor grinned. "Arms of Iron!" He shouted to the crowds. "The Riddari packs a punch!"

"Ironarm!" The crowd cheered. "Hiccup! Ironarm!"

Hiccup could now see Thor's attitude change. No longer was the God thinking Hiccup would be a match for him – he thought he might lose. So did the crowd. Instead of cheering for Thor, they were now cheering for both of them.

Hiccup decided to capitalize on his good start. With a fierce grunt he threw his second punch of the fight, and Thor hastily stepped back to avoid it before retaliating with a hard cross. Hiccup blocked it, and the force of the blow jarred his metal arms.

"Damn," Thor nodded, dancing backward. "You are strong, Hiccup."

"It's the metal arms," Hiccup grinned. "And it helps that I'm a genius and you're just a bumbling idiot."

Thor shook his head, smiling. "You're getting good at taunting the opposition, Hiccup. That's my expertise!"

"Is it?" Hiccup laughed, swinging another two punches and getting them deflected. "Then get to work! How come you haven't irked me yet?"

"I was taking it easy on you," Thor replied, thundering a punch into Hiccup's sternum. With a grunt, Hiccup was pushed back against the ropes, and Thor was on him, powering him into a clinch.

"Not taking it easy anymore, huh?" Hiccup groaned, as Thor slammed him in the side with a powerful hook, his back striking the ropes hard.

"I don't like to take it easy," Thor answered, as he and Hiccup struggled back and forth. "I didn't take it easy on your girl last night. It was fun." Thor grinned. "Barely fit, but it was fun."

Hiccup compressed his lips, firing a punch at Thor. "Astrid is on a different world, Thor. That's a no go. Try another method of riling me up."

"Aiah doesn't even like you," Thor went on, hammering Hiccup with another blow. "She's disappointed in you. She's here today, actually."

"Is she?" Hiccup asked, swinging a hook into Thor's shoulder. It bounced off the thick muscle. "I didn't see her here."

"She's behind you," Thor said, looking over Hiccup's shoulder.

"Huh?"

"No, she's right here!" Thor broke out of the clinch and slugged Hiccup on the side of the head. Hiccup was hurled to the mat, bouncing off it.

Asgeirr was right. It felt like he had been hit with a sledgehammer. But Asgeirr was also right that he was used to pain. Hiccup rolled over quickly and got to his feet.

Thor nodded approvingly. "Good recovery there, but I distracted you. Don't get distracted, it's bad form." He swung again, and Hiccup, still slightly dazed, had trouble blocking one of Thor's punches and it caught Hiccup on the ear, leaving a dull roaring sound on the side of Hiccup's head.

The crowd roared and cheered as the fight went on. For another five minutes Hiccup and Thor sparred, trading blows, but Thor dealt the most and more often. Hiccup knocked Thor down once and Thor knocked Hiccup down four times. The fourth time Hiccup had barely gotten to his feet in seven seconds. It had become clear that he was losing the battle.

Knowing that he had to resort to his brain to win, Hiccup tried a new trick. He deliberately made a poor attack, and Thor took advantage, swinging a vicious uppercut into Hiccup's chin.

Hiccup pretended to stagger, and Thor came after him to finish him off. Hiccup grinned as he saw his ruse work, and ducked and lunged upward with a right cross. He caught Thor on the cheekbone, snapping the God's head backward. Going low, Hiccup rammed two vicious punches into Thor's gut, then body-slammed the big God against the ropes. Thor grunted in pain.

"My God, you're weak," Hiccup mocked, blood trickling down his face. "They call you a God? A six year old girl could give me a better contest."

Thor laughed, swatting away two of Hiccup's punches with ease before shoving him away and giving him a crushing blow to the face.

"Hiccup, when you were little, did your father ever toss you up into the air?"

"More than once," Hiccup grunted, blocking the next two blows with some effort. "He tossed me miles high. My dad is a monster."

"Well, you're about to experience that again!" Thor exclaimed, and with a grip as strong as an iron vise, grabbed Hiccup's arms. With a yell, he twisted his back under Hiccup and used his weight to fling Hiccup in the air.

Hiccup flew. He was literally launched ten feet above Thor's head, and with a yell, crashed down to the mat, only half on his feet. Most of his weight landed on his left knee. Hitting hard, he rolled over, stunned. His knee was screaming in pain.

The roar of the crowd was the only thing he could hear at first. Then Thor, somewhere above him, began the count.

"One. Two. Three."

With a painful effort, Hiccup clambered to one knee at the count of four. Rising unsteadily, he blinked at Thor, trying to refocus. His knee was weak and agonizing, and it almost buckled.

"You all right?" Thor asked, doubling up his fists.

"Come at me," Hiccup muttered, raising his fists clumsily. "Drop me, I'm about finished."

"Then let's finish it!" Thor shouted, and leapt at Hiccup.

The crowd roared and cheered as Thor pounced on Hiccup. Mercilessly he pounded the smaller man into the ropes, then smashed Hiccup into the corner. Hiccup tried to block the blows, but couldn't get all of them, and time and time again Thor hit him in face. His lips got smashed, his nose squashed, and one eye swollen almost shut. But through each punch he took a breath, slowly recovering his strength. His knee buckled, and he rested by the edge of the ropes, crumpled. He listened to the crowd.

"He's finished, Thor!" "Get him!" "Yes, oh Thor!" "Crush him!" "Kill him!" "Maim him!"

Hiccup gritted his teeth. He was not finished yet.

Thor kept punching, and Hiccup kept steadily defending, growing stronger. He was on one knee, and one more solid punch from Thor would cause him to lose. But he wasn't done yet. He had one last trick up his sleeve.

He had regained his strength. Thor swung a hook, and Hiccup snapped into action. Ducking under Thor's blow, he crushed the God's arm under his own, and with his other hand smashed a brutal, metal-filled punch into Thor's elbow, right on the funny bone.

Thor howled, and Hiccup pushed off the ropes underneath Thor's limp arm. As Thor lost form, he drove a vicious jab into the big God's sternum. Hiccup heard the air rush out of Thor's lungs, and as the God opened his mouth to heave in a deep breath, Hiccup swung all his power and all his might into one single uppercut.

It smashed Thor on the chin, and the mouth was hanging open. Hiccup himself felt like wincing as he rattled Thor's jaw with the brutal blow.

Thor staggered backward, his golden eyes wide in shock. Then he fell backward, hitting the mat with a thud. His head whiplashed on the sweaty ground, blood spraying from his mouth.

Thor was down.

Hiccup reeled, trying to stay upright. One second passed. Two. Thor was still not moving. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Hiccup couldn't believe it. Eight seconds.

The countdown was up. He had won.

Hiccup wasn't aware of anything for a few seconds except the thundering roar of the people watching. They were yelling and screaming in amazement, in disbelief that their God had just been defeated.

Hiccup staggered weakly to the middle of the ring, where Thor was only just beginning to push himself to his feet. Hiccup gave him a hand, and the big God clambered slowly to his knees and looked at Hiccup with his deep golden eyes.

"I don't believe it," Thor said in awe, wiping his mouth with his wrist. "I can feel it, but I still don't believe it."

Hiccup laughed weakly, and gripped Thor's arm, embracing the God. "I got lucky," he said. "That was my last play, if you had hit me just one more time, you would have had me."

"Well, I didn't," Thor said frankly. "And you knocked me out cold for a bit. Never before have I gotten hit like that."

"It was a good match," Hiccup affirmed, and Thor turned to the crowd.

"I've never been beaten before!" Thor shouted. "Not until today!"

The people cheered and roared.

Thor grabbed Hiccup's arm and raised it aloft. "I give you your winner! The man with Iron arms, Hiccup Haddock! He will be your next Captain!"

"Ironarm!" Someone yelled from the crowd, and the people began to chant. "Ironarm! Ironarm! Ironarm!"

Hiccup looked out over the crowd of people and smiled. Then he looked up the table, where Odin and Frigga sat. He met Odin's gaze. The large God was staring at him levelly, with a stern and serious look. But he also looked different. He looked shaken. Afraid.

Hiccup looked away, and saw Asgeirr standing by the ring, smiling. He was not chanting, but instead he looked smug. He met Hiccup's gaze and nodded approvingly.

Thor lowered Hiccup's arm and threw it over his shoulder. He leaned in.

"Well, you won the fight, Hiccup, and you get the prize." He inclined his head towards the couches, where Eir was sitting, clapping her hands.

"Oh no," Hiccup muttered.

"Ha, you have to do it!" Thor grinned. "I want to see how this goes down. Get out of this ring, walk over to her, and kiss her. On the lips. Now."

"As you command," Hiccup laughed. "I'm off. Wish me luck."

Stepping away from Thor, he vaulted the ropes and jumped off the raised edge of the ring. Asgeirr was there, and Hiccup grinned at him.

"I'm about to do something stupid again," he told his trainer, and then walked through the crowd straight towards Eir. The crowd let him pass through, still chanting 'Ironarm.' They touched him and clapped him on the shoulder as he passed. Bloody and battered, Hiccup walked straight up to the lounge where Eir was sitting, everyone's eyes on him.

The beautiful Goddess rose to meet Hiccup.

"Well fought," she laughed. "I really didn't think you could do -"

Hiccup grabbed Eir by the waist, tugged her to him, and kissed her. Dead on the lips.

The crowd of people let out a massive, 'OOOOOHHH' as Hiccup did the daring act. With one arm wrapped around Eir's waist, he leaned Eir backwards.

She kissed him back.

Hiccup suddenly remembered the advantages of kissing the Goddess. Warm fire streamed through his body, the cuts on his face magically disappeared, and the pain in his knee vanished.

He broke the kiss, blinking, and Eir looked up at him, her deep blue eyes smiling. She slid her hands up his chest and onto Hiccup's shoulders.

"You can't just kiss me every time you want to get healed, you know," she teased.

"Who said I did it just to get healed?" Hiccup grinned. "But hey, that's a nice addition."

Eir laughed and hugged Hiccup, hanging onto his neck. She whispered in his ear.

"You can kiss me anytime you want."

Hiccup grinned, and picked Eir up to spin her around. He looked around at the cheering people as he did so, watching them laugh and chant his new name. He saw Thor leaning tiredly on the ropes, drinking an ale and grinning at him like a fool. He saw Odin and Frigga, staring in astonishment and wonder. Then he looked back towards Eir, whose face was snuggled up against his, holding him tight.

He could get used to this whole God thing. Definitely


	25. captain kaldr

Chapter 25: Captain Kaldr

High Asgard, Day 14 since Hiccup's Departure

Loki rose, staring in amazement as the door to his cell opened and Hiccup, still dressed in his fancy party apparel, stepped in.

"You shouldn't be here," Loki stated, closing the book he had been reading.

"Does it look like I care?" Hiccup closed the cell door and heard it latch behind him. "Come on, since when do you care about protocol, Loki?"

Loki shook his head as he sat down again, sliding his book into a drawer in the table. "It's dangerous to be alone with me, Vaskar." He gestured to the chair opposite him.

Hiccup frowned as he sat, sliding his chair up to the table. "We've always been alone down here, Loki."

"No, we haven't." Loki gestured to the cell, the armbands of energy on his wrists flaring. "Every time you come down here, my Father Odin observes, trying to make sure that I don't manipulate you or offer you deals like I did with Zyon. Every conversation we've ever had in this cell has been closely monitored."

Hiccup blinked. "Oh. And this meeting is not being monitored, and that's why it's dangerous?"

"Yes, because Odin does not know you're here. He's still occupied at Thor's party." Loki leaned forward. "If Odin or Asgeirr or anyone finds out that we met in secret, the results would be disastrous. People would fear that you would become my vassal, like Zyon. Your training would have to be altered and everything you do would be followed with utter scrupulousness. The best thing for you to do is to leave at once, unless you want to take that risk."

Hiccup crossed his legs. "Well, I'm already here, so I might as well," he said. "Even if I left now, they'd probably still find out I was down here, and then I'm still done for."

"As you will." Loki smiled. "So then, Vaskar. You passed your Phase One final test."

"I did!" Hiccup grinned. "I forgot about that, actually! It was terrible, but I passed. They tortured me to death, you know. It was the worst thing I have ever felt in my life, and Gods I'm glad I died so I didn't have to keep feeling it. But you knew that, and you also knew I would pass it. Thanks a lot for telling me about the test, Loki." Hiccup couldn't resist a little sarcasm.

Loki chuckled. "My apologies, but I'm not sorry. Telling you about the test would have allowed you to prepare, and with the first test it must be spontaneous. Is there anything about the test I should know?"

"Not particularly."

Loki nodded. "So, why did you decide to visit me? And oh, I'll get some tea for us. Do you like tea?"

Hiccup shrugged. "Yeah."

"Do you care what type?"

"No."

"So be it." Loki laughed, and clapped his hands. From the wall came an extending tray that held a steaming kettle of tea and several stone cups.

"To answer your question, I'm not exactly sure why I decided to come down," Hiccup replied. "Although I would like to discuss some issues with you."

"Very well." Loki picked up the hot kettle and took two of the stone cups to pour into.

As Loki poured, Hiccup tried to get comfortable, but since Hicca was strapped to his back, it made it near impossible. Impulsively, he unbuckled the sword and placed it by his chair, leaning it against the wood.

Loki slid Hiccup's cup of tea across to him and glanced down at Hicca.

"A fine sword, Vaskar," he commented, placing the kettle back on the extending tray, which retracted. "Elvish steel."

"She is wonderful," Hiccup agreed, looking down and fingering the smooth black hilt. "I didn't think it was possible to get so attached to a sword, but I -" Hiccup laughed at himself. "I'm in love with her."

Loki raised an eyebrow. "Don't cut such a wry face," he said seriously. "You should love your sword, Vaskar. A true warrior has his sword and treats it like a gem, a treasure."

"Did you ever have one?" Hiccup asked suddenly.

Loki smiled. "I was never much for swinging a sword, Vaskar," he said quietly. "But yes, I had one. When I was leading the rebellion, I needed a sword for appearances. Yes, I had one."

"What happened to it?" Hiccup asked. "What was her name?"

"Dahlia," Loki smiled. "She was beautiful, Vaskar. Sleek, curved at the tip, with a leaf-like crossguard and pommel. She made me want to go into battle and fight in the vanguard, but I was better needed to direct the battles. When we lost the rebellion, Dahlia was taken from me by Thor himself. I do not know what he did with it. He will not tell me."

Hiccup started.

"What?" Loki asked.

"It's – nothing," Hiccup answered slowly. "But I may at some point know where Dahlia is. If I should ever find her, what would you have me do with her?"

Loki smiled. "I would just like to know where she is kept. I would never be allowed to have her down here with me, but I would love to know where she lies."

"Then if I ever learn, I will let you know," Hiccup promised. "It's the least I could do in return for all the help you've given me."

"Have you used your sword in combat yet, Vaskar?" Loki asked, taking a sip of tea.

"Yes, actually!" Hiccup grinned. "Have you heard of my – um, incident with Freyja in Valhalla?"

Loki put his cup down slowly. "Oh dear. What did you do this time, Vaskar?"

Hiccup leaned back in his chair with a grin, and told the story. He told Loki how the Valhalla door warden had mistaken him for a God. He explained the music, beauty, and mesmerizing feel of Valhalla. He spoke about Freyja, her unpleasant look, and the fact that Thor was nervous. But finally, he told Loki about his bold and dangerous divulgement of the Hydra and Toothless to Freyja. When he got to the part about cutting Freyja's arm, breaking her crown, and stealing her sword, Loki was, for the first time, truly stunned.

Hiccup finished the story. "And so I hid the Sword of Death, and that was all." With a broad grin, he leaned back, placing his hands behind his head.

Loki exhaled slowly. "Wow." He breathed. "You actually stole THAT sword. No wonder the Council wanted to see you. They did, didn't they?"

"Of course they did," Hiccup grinned. "And they wanted me to tell them where it was, but I never did. Odin made it the question for my test, which I passed."

"Unbelievable." Loki shook his head. "Vaskar, you are more dangerous than you know. I hope you disposed of the Sword of Death properly."

"I did. I hid it in a spot where it will be very difficult to find and recover. I'm not telling anyone where it is, so forgive me when I don't tell you."

"No worries at all." Loki laughed. "Oh dear me. You stole the Sword of Death."

"Yes," Hiccup laughed with Loki. "So yeah, that's basically what I've been doing for the past two days, fighting Gods."

"You are demented, Vaskar," Loki sighed. "But I think the Gods and Asgeirr are going to be very impressed. I think this will actually work in your favor in the long run."

"I hope so. The prophecy says I am the savior of Midgard, so that is what they want me to be. If I can defeat Freyja, I have a chance to defeat Hel."

"Ah!" Loki smiled. "Speaking of which." He put down his teacup. "You wanted to discuss the prophecy, the one that says you are to be the only hope of Midgard."

"Yeah!" Hiccup smiled, enthused. "That's right, we decided to talk about that when I came down next. I had a few questions about the prophecy. For instance, why should the Gods put so much faith in a single prediction, and what does it mean?"

Loki straightened up and recited from memory, closing his green eyes.

"From the gates of Hel rings evil's bell,

New power has been found in the deep.

A war shall rage, but not with blades,

But with the thoughts the Dragon's keep.

Despair shall beset Midgard, and many men shall fall.

But there is yet a hero, one to save them all.

From the darkness there comes a ray of hope,

But not in the way of light.

For the Black Rider shall come unto us,

With dragon dark as night.

Against the men of Midgard Hel's watchful hand gropes,

And the Rider atop the Night Fury will be their only hope."

Loki paused, and then took a deep breath. "Well," he said. "First off, that poem absolutely – sucks. It sounds like it was devised by a sixteen year old boy trying to write a fantasy story."

Hiccup laughed. "That it does. Who did write it, Loki?"

"The Great Prophet of Jotunheim," Loki replied. "The Great Prophet is a wizened old man who sits in the Juton Tower. He is unbelievably aged, and he stays in his own room, private and forgotten, on the world of Jotunheim. He does nothing but mumble with his eyes closed, but then suddenly he spasms and writes something on paper. This was one such occurrence. His predictions have always been accurate. People believe that he is lost in time and space, and that is why he is incoherent and mumbles all the time."

"I see," Hiccup said. "So he just blurted this prophecy out one day."

"Yes." Loki was sincere.

"OK." Hiccup chuckled. "So let's have it, let's discuss it. Let's start at the beginning. The first verse."

"From the gates of Hel rings evil's bell,"Loki said. "All right. This is a short, fairly straightforward line with many possible implications, but I'll start simply.'The gates of Hel.'Niflheim, or Helheim, is called Hel also, you know that. The kingdom of the evil dead has only one entrance, a massive, sealed gate. It keeps the dead inside."

"That makes sense," Hiccup nodded. "But what about'evil's bell?'"

Loki nodded. "You are not accustomed to our warfare, so naturally you would not understand that. On all the realms except yours, when the armies are being called out to battle, they ring bells to summon the troops. So that first verse implies that the armies of Niflheim are coming out the gates."

"I see," Hiccup said thoughtfully. "We blow horns on Midgard, so that's pretty much the same thing."

"Exactly," Loki answered. "So does that verse make sense to you now?"

"Absolutely," Hiccup replied. "The armies of Helheim are being called to battle. The gates are about to open."

"Right." Loki nodded. "On to the next verse?"

"Please."

"New power has been found in the deep,"Loki went on. "Now, this line is a little trickier than the first. We are assuming that the'new power'is the mental control that the evil Goddess Hel is using. However, we know for certain that'the deep'is a reference to the levels of Niflheim. The deeper you go, the more wicked the people who are there become. So the mention of the'deep'implies that the'new power'is vastly evil."

"Well, that's not good," Hiccup chuckled. "But I guess that was obvious, any power that originates in Hel is bound to be evil."

"True enough," Loki admitted. "Next verse?"

Hiccup nodded.

"A war shall rage, but not with blades, but with the thoughts the dragons keep,"Loki quoted. "Now, these two verses give us a hint as to exactly what that evil power mentioned before is. As you know, Hel is using some form of dark magic to control the dragon's mind and their thoughts, and has been for centuries. So the new power is some form of mental control."

"Makes sense," Hiccup acknowledged. "We covered that already, but it's nice to get a little confirmation from that part."

"Despair shall beset Midgard, and many men shall fall,"Loki went on. "Now, this verse you have firsthand knowledge of, Vaskar. Do you not?"

"I do," Hiccup said sadly. "All those generations of us battling the dragons… how much death was there? So much. Many men fell, as the prophecy predicted. My mother was taken by dragons when I was a baby."

Loki compressed his lips, opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. Then he lowered his head and whispered quietly.

"What was she like? Your mother."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "I hardly remember her, Loki. I was only a babe when the dragons took her. All I know is that she was very like me, she had the freckles, the big green eyes, and she was a smart one."

"Where did she come from?"

Hiccup frowned. "My dad didn't talk about it much, but from what I gathered my mother was from another tribe, which got destroyed. My grandmother was royalty from that island, and when my mother was born the match was decided between my dad and her."

"Her island." Loki was hoarse, and he lifted his teacup to his mouth. "How was it destroyed?"

"I think it got hit by a wildfire."

Loki swallowed his tea, and exhaled sharply. He tried to set the cup down on the table, placed it on the edge, and it fell, crashing to the floor. Tea spilled.

Hiccup jolted as the cup smashed, and then he looked up quizzically at Loki. Loki did not look well. He seemed pale and shaken. "Loki? Are you all right? What's the matter?"

"I'm fine." Loki blinked, swallowing. "A dizzy spell. That is all. Forgive me for the questions about your mother, I was just curious."

"Should we clean up that broken glass? Are you sure you're OK, Loki? You look ill."

"I'm fine." Loki sighed. "Sometimes I take dizzy spells when I drink that tea. Forget the mess, it'll get cleaned up later."

"All right." Hiccup relaxed again. "So back to the prophecy. What verse were we on?"

Loki nodded. "Right. We're on'But there is yet a hero, one to save them all.'"

Hiccup smiled. "A hero. That's me being mentioned right there, I guess."

"It is." Loki chuckled. "You are the'hero', as the next few verses confirms. This line is just a preliminary, so I'll pass over it. The next stanza is more descriptive.'From the darkness there comes a ray of hope, But not in the way of light. For the Black Rider shall come unto us, With dragon dark as night.'"

Loki paused. "This is where things begin to get queer. The prophecy for the first time mentions'us.' 'He shall come unto us,'not 'he shall come unto the people of Midgard.' What did The Great Prophet mean by'us?'" Loki spread his hands. He seemed to have fully recovered from his dizzy spell earlier. "No one knows, but it is mainly those few sentences that made my father Odin nervous.'Us'implies that not just Midgard is in danger because of Hel, but all of the worlds. If The Great Prophet was on Jutonheim, which he was, then us would mean his people also, one might assume. So Hel's power would spread on. That is why Odin decided to put a lot of effort into finding you for the past hundred years."

Hiccup nodded. "Wow. So that one'us'caused such a big change? I wish I was the Great Prophet, to have that kind of power."

Loki laughed. "I would not want to be the Great Prophet," he grinned. "The man must have no fun with his life, or at least not by my standards. But I am having no fun as it is, locked helpless in this cell." Loki looked about him. "But yes, he has great power, and he doesn't seem to care about it. He just prophesizes."

Hiccup grinned. "Well all right then. But that line mentioned the'Black Rider,'and'dragon dark as night.'How do we know that they mean Toothless and I? I think Thor explained it to me when I first arrived, but I'm not sure."

"The next two lines corroborate it," Loki answered. "'Against the men of Midgard Hel's watchful hand gropes, And the Rider atop the Night Fury will be their only hope.'So you can see this line makes it quite clear. There is only one Night Fury, so the only hope for Midgard is you. However, here that confusing'us'comes into play again. This line is ONLY referring to the'men of Midgard.'We assume this just means all the people of Midgard, but it is important to note that it is just directed to Midgard. Instead of an'us'there is a'their.'So maybe you are just the savior of Midgard, and the danger to the rest of the realms, assuming there is one, is to be defeated by some other champion? Or perhaps not at all?"

Loki leaned back. "Questions, Vaskar. Questions that shall never be answered, only pondered. The only thing we can hope for is that you are the one, the one who shall defeat Hel and end her evil power once and for all."

"Well I sure hope I am, too." Hiccup bit his lip. "For the sake of all the people of Midgard. Especially my tribe. My father. Astrid."

Loki smiled. "You do love that girl back home, don't you?"

Hiccup looked up. "I do, Loki. She was the one girl I had a crush on forever. Damn, when she first kissed me, I couldn't believe it." Hiccup laughed, then grew serious. "But Loki. Would you believe me if I told you that I may be falling in love right now with the Goddess Eir?"

Loki's jaw dropped, then he blinked and laughed. "Yes, Vaskar, you and every other person in the nine realms who has seen her and has a pecker dangling from between his legs."

"No, I'm serious, Loki!" Hiccup laughed, dropping his face into his hands. "Sure, OK, she's incredibly beautiful and – and -"

"And perfectly sexy," Loki finished simply. "No, that's exactly what she is, Vaskar. She's the Goddess of healing! She can make herself absolutelyperfect,from her smile to the curve of her ass."

"Come on, Loki!" Hiccup was laughing. "Look I know she's like a drop of sunshine from Valhalla itself, but she's not all beauty and sexiness, Loki. She's understanding, she's fun, she's playful, and I like all that. She also likes me, I'm sure of it."

Loki raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yes." Hiccup related briefly the events of the party, ending with him boxing in the ring, defeating Thor, and kissing Eir. Loki's mouth was open in shock. But he didn't seem to care about Eir.

"You defeated THOR?" He gasped. "In a fistfight?!"

"With the help of Jarn af Vapna." Hiccup clanked his metal hands together. "And your big brother was also half-drunk and really not trying his best. He was just having fun. I'm not letting that victory go to my head. What I AM letting go to my head is the fact that Eir said, quote, 'You can kiss me anytime.' What does that imply to you, Loki?"

Loki grinned. "It implies only one thing, Hiccup."

"Exactly." Hiccup leaned back with a smug grin on his face. "And one can only ask, when a man has THAT kind of invitation from the most beautiful person ever to exist, why the HEL doesn't he jump at it?"

"And I'm asking you as well," Loki grinned, plowing a hand through his hair.

"Well, because I love Astrid." Hiccup sighed. "Astrid isn't near to being as pretty as Eir, no one is, but I love her for who she is, not what she looks like."

"They all look the same with the lights out, am I right?" Loki muttered, adjusting his shirt.

Hiccup laughed. "Gods, Loki, can't you take this seriously?" He pleaded. "I decided to bring this up with you because I thought you might help me! I guess the all-intelligent Loki gets stumped by a bit of love drama?"

Loki sat up straight. "Yes," he said curtly. "I really don't like love issues and become awkward and confused when discussing them. I never do it."

Hiccup's brow furrowed slightly. "How come? Have you ever loved anyone, Loki?"

Loki was quiet for a minute, then spoke. "No. I never have. I suppose I am interested in the more – uh - physical aspects of love, but I won't expound on that. Regardless, I do not feel comfortable when people are discussing their relationships with men or women."

Hiccup grinned. "Very well. I won't expound on how Eir's tongue danced against mine and the warmth of -"

"Vaskar!" Loki shook his head, laughing. "Look, Hiccup, I can talk about love as a business, just as a thing, but I cannot and will not discuss details and lovey-dovey things. Forgive me."

"No, that's all right," Hiccup smiled. "I'm glad I've finally found a weakness in you, Loki. I'll be sure to exploit it often."

"I'm sure you shall," Loki sighed.

"Well, if you won't talk about it, then I guess I'll go take it up with Thor," Hiccup joked. "He has no qualms about 'lovey-dovey' things." Hiccup rose from his chair suddenly.

Loki rose also, surprised. "You're not actually going to see him right now, are you?"

"No, but I just realized that I should go," Hiccup said. "Asgeirr told me to be back in my room in an hour, and that was about fifty minutes ago. I need to go; I get to see Toothless today and I am NOT going to miss that."

"Ah, very well." Loki extended his hand. "Congratulations again on passing your test, and thank you for stopping by my lonely cell to talk with me."

"Any time," Hiccup nodded, shaking hands with Loki. "It's really – fun to come down here, actually."

"Well, officially this never happened," Loki grinned, as Hiccup picked up Hicca and strapped the sword to his back. "If you ever come down here without me being under surveillance, it never happened."

Hiccup crossed his heart. "This never happened." Then he grinned, teasing Loki again. "Kinda like what I'm going to have to say if I decide to let Astrid go and have Eir."

"Hiccup." Loki placed a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "I don't like talking love, you know that, but listen to me now." He leaned forward. "If for ANY reason at all your relationship with Eir goes a little beyond just joking kisses, make sure THATnever happenedeither."

Loki dropped his hand from Hiccup's shoulder.

"What do you mean?" Hiccup asked.

"Did you ever hear the story about Toothless' parents?" Loki asked.

"Yes," Hiccup said slowly. "Thor told me when I first arrived on Asgard. What does that have to do with me and Eir?"

"Toothless was created by a curse from the God Lofn, the God of Forbidden Loves," Loki said quietly. "The match between the animal/God Thunderbird and human/God Freyja was not acceptable to the Gods, and neither is a match between a mortal and a God."

Hiccup blinked.

"You've probably already doomed yourself by kissing her in public," Loki said. "At least you might excuse yourself on that score by saying you just wanted her to heal you with a kiss, but the fact remains that you have already distinguished yourself. Surely Eir knows that. You should talk with her if you actually intend to – to pursue her."

"I see," Hiccup said slowly. "So if I were to fall in love with Eir, I'd have to keep it secret."

"Freyja tried to keep her love affair secret, and look where that got her."

Hiccup grinned. "I like a challenge, Loki. Maybe I'll fall in love with Eir after all, and if I do, then I will not let Lofn or any other Gods stand in my way. I'll figure something out. I've beaten Gods before and I can do I again."

Loki smiled. "Don't underestimate the Gods, Vaskar. If you ever have an affair of any kind with Eir, make sure it NEVER comes to light. If Lofn finds out…" Loki shook his head.

"I will keep that in mind." Hiccup turned to the door of the cell and it opened for him. Then he looked back at Loki.

"Until next time, Father of Lies."

"Until next time." Loki saluted Hiccup.

Hiccup grinned, saluted Loki, and then left. The cell door banged and sealed behind him, leaving Loki standing in the cell. For once the God was not smiling at his progress in transforming Hiccup. Instead he was solemn, for something he had learned just may have answered his most important question.

In fifteen minutes of Hiccup leaving the dungeons, Hiccup and Asgeirr were walking side by side down a corridor. After his meeting with Loki, Hiccup had gone direct back to his room and changed out of his party apparel. Then he geared up in his usual outfit, his fierce black armor.

It was while he was alone in his room, practicing his footwork, that Asgeirr came to him, telling him that Toothless had arrived in Asgard and that they were going to meet the Night Fury.

For once Hiccup was not in his soldierly bearing, and instead he was like a small child, full of excitement and energy.

"Dammit, can't we hurry, Master?" he begged, as Asgeirr kept walking at his slow, steady pace. "Come on, where is he? I want to see Toothless!"

"We are going there now," Asgeirr sighed. "Toothless just arrived by BiFrost with his companions a few minutes ago. We're going to go and meet him."

"Well can you please hurry?!" Hiccup groaned.

"Patience, Hiccup," Asgeirr admonished. "I know you want to get to Toothless as soon as possible, but relax! He's only been gone for about two weeks!"

"You don't understand," Hiccup sighed.

"I think I do," Asgeirr answered. "I've trained three Dragon Riders, and they all have the same feelings towards their dragons. They cannot bear to be parted from them for any longer than is necessary."

"And it is NOT necessary for us to walk so SLOW!" Hiccup groaned. "Can we maybe, you know, run?"

Asgeirr laughed. "My dear Hiccup."

Hiccup was about to reply, but just then they passed a group of Aesir men and women, who all looked at Hiccup and recognized him.

"Hail, Ironarm!" One of the men called. "That was a fantastic boxing match you just won! Can we see you fight Odin tomorrow!?"

"Awe, I got lucky today," Hiccup called back to the man as they passed. "Thanks, though! I'll invite you whenever I decide to punch the AllFather, the more the merrier at my funeral."

The group laughed, and Hiccup chuckled.

"We hope to see you soon, Ironarm!" One of the women called, and then the group was out of talking range.

"You're getting popular with the people, Riddari," Asgeirr commented. "That is good, but also surprising. You scared almost everyone in the entire city when you went on your rampage through the halls about a week ago."

"It's just hard for them not to like me," Hiccup grinned. "Especially the girls. I mean, when you're as handsome and sexy as I am the ability to resist the temptations becomes -"

"Do shut up," Asgeirr muttered.

"I like this subject," Hiccup laughed. "Come on, did you see me and Eir today? Do you know what it feels like to kiss her? Of course not, why would she kiss an ugly bastard like you? She really likes me, Master, her and every other eligible girl in the city."

"Riddari, be silent," Asgeirr snapped.

"Be silent?" Hiccup guffawed. "Silence is not in my creed! Especially when it comes to beautiful girls, Master."

"Riddari!" Asgeirr snapped. "I know you are excited, but the girls are fools to like you. You can't even defend yourself."

"What? I can defend myself," Hiccup said, confused.

"Really?" Asgeirr stopped and looked at Hiccup. Then, with a movement faster than Hiccup could even see, he reached up to Hiccup's back and snatched Hicca from her sheath.

"HEYYAHH!" Hiccup whirled on Asgeirr, grabbing his arm. "Give that back to me!"

Asgeirr shoved Hiccup away and held Hicca out firmly. Then he drew his own sword and laid the tip of each blade on Hiccup's collarbones. Hiccup froze.

"Do not EVER let someone take your sword from you," Asgeirr said sternly. "If I was your opponent, right now you would be DEAD. Do not ever let that happen. Your sword always stays with you and you cannot lose it. As I said, you cannot even defend yourself."

Asgeirr held Hicca out to Hiccup, and Hiccup snatched his sword back, putting it safely in its sheath. "I won't let it happen again, Master."

"Don't." Asgeirr then gestured to a door. "We have arrived at the Dragon Hall. Toothless is inside that door, waiting for you."

"What? YES!" Hiccup shouted, and leapt to the knob. Twisting it, he flung open the entry. There was a small passageway before him, and he sprinted down it, seeing a large room at the end. He passed through into the room, and took it in. There was no one in the center, but right next to him there was a familiar growl, and Hiccup whirled to see a familiar black shape directly beside him.

"TOOTHLESS!" He shouted, and without stopping to even look at him, pounced on his friend's neck, hugging him tightly. "Bud! Oh, bud, you're back! Gods I've missed you."

Toothless crooned happily, and Hiccup reached up Toothless' neck to scratch his chin. Then he froze. Toothless' head wasn't there.

Hiccup stepped back in shock and then realized what his mistake was. He hadn't been hugging Toothless' neck. He had been hugging his LEG.

Toothless loomed over him from a giant height, his teeth opening in a happy grin.

"Bud?" Hiccup stared. "Toothless? My GOD! You're enormous!"

Toothless chuckled a dragon laugh, and bent down to lick Hiccup with a tongue that was about the size of Hiccup himself.

"NO!" Hiccup yelled, and as Toothless' tongue passed over him, Hiccup groaned. He spread his hands, his entire body literally dripping in dragon saliva.

Toothless gurgled another dragon laugh, and Hiccup laughed with him, leaping up to hug onto Toothless' enormous neck. "Bud, it sure is good to see you."

Toothless warbled, and then suddenly shook Hiccup off. Lowering his giant head, he gazed at Hiccup steadily with his giant green eyes.

"I know, bud," Hiccup said sadly. "I'm changed, just like you. I'm not really the same person anymore. But I'm still Hiccup, bud. Deep down in, I'm still Hiccup." Hiccup patted his chest. "It's still me, Toothless."

Toothless blinked slowly, and then bowed his head.

Asgeirr stepped from the shadows. "It is time," he said. "You and your dragon are bonded, but not fully. This is Phase Two of your training, and this is the first step." Asgeirr walked up to Hiccup and drew a knife from his belt. "Give me your hand, Riddari."

Hiccup stared at the blade in Asgeirr's hand, wondering what was going on. He turned to look at Toothless, and the dragon bobbed his head in approval.

"OK," Hiccup said to Asgeirr. "What is this?" He extended his hand, palm up.

Asgeirr stepped forward and seized Hiccup's right wrist. Then he drew the knife across Hiccup's palm, much deeper than was necessary than just to draw blood. Hiccup yelped and sprung back, blood spraying from his hand, but Asgeirr held his arm in an iron grip.

"What are you doing!" Hiccup yelled, as Asgeirr started another cut. "Stop cutting me!"

"Be still!" Asgeirr snapped, and Hiccup gritted his teeth as Asgeirr carved a symbol into his palm with the knife. It was bleeding so much Hiccup could not see what it was.

Asgeirr finished and released Hiccup's hand. Hiccup sprung back with a cry of pain.

"What was that!?" He exploded, holding his hand, which was spurting blood.

Asgeirr didn't reply. He merely stepped over to Toothless, who bowed his head to the Warlock. To Hiccup's absolute astonishment, Toothless let Asgeirr take the knife and plunge it into Toothless' forehead, right above the eyes.

"What are you doing!" Hiccup shouted, but Toothless was not resisting. He merely closed his eyes as Asgeirr carved something into his forehead with the knife. Hot black dragon blood dripped to the floor, sizzling and bubbling.

Asgeirr stepped back, grimacing as he wiped the scorching dragon blood off his knife arm. Then he took Hiccup's mangled hand and dragged Hiccup forward to Toothless. Without a word, he placed it against the wound in Toothless' forehead. The hot dragon blood burned Hiccup's hand, and he grunted in pain. His own blood poured from his palm, mixing with Toothless'. Then Asgeirr raised his voice and shouted in Old Norse.

"Band, Band, Dreki eoa Rekkr! Moetta geo, moetta ond! Smioa sjalfr einn!"

A flash of white light blazed, and Hiccup yelled as his hand suddenly burned flaming hot, and red fire seemed to explode around his arm, pinning it to Toothless. A roar of air rushed around him, and something howled in his ears so loudly he could hear nothing. And his hand seemed to be glued to Toothless' head.

Then there was a violent blast of magic, and Hiccup was hurled onto his back, his hand coming away from Toothless. He hit the floor hard, and while he lay still on his back, the wind died away and all became still. Hiccup took a deep breath. His hand felt strange.

Blinking, he sat up and stared at his palm.

It was different. Instead of smooth skin, there was a black symbol on his palm, made of a Night Fury dragon scale. With a gasp, he looked up, and Toothless, with is head still bowed, had the same symbol on his forehead, in red.

As Hiccup's head began to clear, he felt something odd. Something strange. There was something in his head, something that was not supposed to be there.

Then a voice, quiet but strong, echoed in his mind.

"Greetings, Hiccup."

Hiccup leapt to his feet and yelled. He glanced around him, wondering what the sound was.

"It is me," the voice said. "Toothless."

Hiccup gasped, whirled, and stared at his dragon. Toothless was looking directly at him, his green eyes bright and wise.

"How is this happening?" Hiccup thought, terrified and shocked.

Toothless grinned a dragon grin."It is the magic of the dragon bond, Hiccup. I am an Alpha, and when an Alpha picks a rider, they can share a mental connection like we are now."

"So we can talk to each other through our minds?" Hiccup said aloud.

"Yes,"Toothless replied."You do not have to talk aloud. You can just think what you want to say to me, and I shall hear."

"I don't understand,"Hiccup said to Toothless, in his mind this time.

"Neither do I," Toothless answered him."It is a power that is above our knowledge, but I am an Alpha, and I chose you. Once my blood is in your veins and your blood in mine, we become like one. We share a mind."

"This is amazing,"Hiccup said with awe.

"It is, but it's wonderful!"Toothless sprang forward and pounced upon Hiccup, pinning him down with a massive forefoot. The Night Fury's claws were about a foot long, and the foot was as big as Hiccup's torso.

"How did you get so big, bud?"Hiccup asked, gasping for air under the crushing weight of his dragon.

"I ate proper food!"Toothless sounded amused."Brenakir, my wingmate and trainer, taught me what to eat and how to eat it. I got big very fast. And my tail is fixed!"Toothless brandished his tail, which was now longer and larger. It was also whole.

"They fixed my leg too!"Hiccup replied, amused."Magic is crazy, bud."

"We're not cripples any longer,"Toothless stated. "We're the lords of the sky!"

"You're the lord of the sky,"Hiccup chuckled, as Toothless let him rise. "I'm the lord of the earth."

Toothless warbled excitedly."We need to fly together! I learned many new tricks and many new ways of bending the wind to my advantage. We can go faster, faster than we've ever flown before."

"I want to fly,"Hiccup replied."But my trainer is strict. I cannot go outside the city."

"We have a new trainer now."Toothless suddenly sat erect and folded his wings."My trainer, Brenakir, has an elf rider whose title is Kaldr. He will be your new Master."

"Where is he?"Hiccup asked.

"He is here, with Brenakir,"Toothless answered."Would you like to see him?"

"Yes."Hiccup nodded. "I want to meet him, and Brenakir also. Can I use this new mental power to communicate with Brenakir also?"

"Yes."Toothless answered."You can talk with any Alpha dragon and with any man or elf or being that has the mental power. Brenakir is an Alpha, and Kaldr has the power."

Hiccup nodded."Then let me meet them."

"I will call Brenakir,"Toothless said. "You call someone by thinking of their name aloud. Then you can talk to them, and they can choose to block you out or let you talk. You will learn that skill soon, for it easy."

Toothless was quiet for a little while, then spoke to Hiccup again. "I have called him. They are coming in through the large door behind you."

Toothless gestured with his wing, and Hiccup turned. The large gate clanged, and then the door began to rise, opening like a portcullis. Hiccup's gaze grew intent as he got his first glance at what was beyond. Then the door was all the way open, and the floor shook as two figures walked in.

The shaking was being caused by a large blue dragon, whose shiny scales gleamed brightly. He was almost twice as big as Toothless, and was a type of dragon that Hiccup had never seen before. He looked like a Monstrous Nightmare, but his neck was shorter, his tail and back were layered with spikes, and his front legs were longer. The dragon walked erect and proud.

"That is Brenakir,"Toothless told Hiccup.

Brenakir was looking down at Hiccup from forty feet up, and his glowing golden eyes seemed both experienced and wise.

Hiccup then shifted his gaze to the second figure. He was walking alongside Brenakir, and he was garbed in gold and blue armor, which shined. His step was full of confidence and power, and he was headed directly for Hiccup.

Hiccup walked forward to meet him. This was his new trainer, Captain Kaldr of Alfheim.

Kaldr approached, and Hiccup took in his new trainer. Kaldr was three inches taller than Hiccup, and his movements were graceful and smooth. He had long brown hair, which was flowed back behind his head and showed slight curls behind his ears, which were pointed. His eyes were a friendly bright blue, and he was smiling.

He didn't say a word until he was two feet away from Hiccup, and then he stopped. He looked up and down Hiccup, looking at his form, his armor, and his posture. Hiccup, amused, decided to do the same to Kaldr. Glancing down at the elf's feet, he saw the same leather armored shoes that he was wearing on his own armor. In fact, Kaldr had the exact same armor, but it was colored differently. And instead of the Asgardian crest on his chestplate, he had a golden leaf, the symbol of Alfheim.

Kaldr then met Hiccup's eyes and gazed into them, raising his hand. It was not a handshake – his arm was a right angle. Hiccup looked down at it. Kaldr had a similar symbol on his palm, except it was bright blue instead of black.

"Shake his hand,"Toothless told Hiccup."And be strong."

Hiccup raised his right hand, and their marked hands locked, at right angles, between them. Kaldr glared at Hiccup and pushed down on Hiccup's arm. Hiccup, surprised, pushed back. It was a test of strength.

Hiccup and Kaldr struggled against each other, muscles straining, and Hiccup looked into Kaldr's eyes as intensely as Kaldr was staring into his.

Hiccup had to grin. Kaldr was using the same techniques that Loki was teaching, looking into one's eyes to discover their trustfulness. Hiccup did the same, and focused his own thoughts. Then he bored into Kaldr's deep blue eyes like a spike.

Their arms were shaking, each one struggling to push the other down. Kaldr was a lot stronger than Hiccup, but he was not trying to crush Hiccup. He was only testing his strength, and he seemed to be impressed.

Hiccup was mesmerized by Kaldr's eyes. Looking inside, he saw a dark, hallowed past, with much pain and suffering. But through it all something shone out all the clearer, that Kaldr was good, that he was loyal and true, devoted and strong. But there was something more. Hiccup stared deeper, and Kaldr suddenly flinched. Hiccup saw that Kaldr was searching – his hear was aching for something, for something he could not find. Love. Kaldr was searching for love.

Gasping, Kaldr blinked, and released Hiccup's arm, stepping back. He took one smooth, deep breath.

"By the Gods," Kaldr said in awe. "You stared right into my soul, Hiccup of Midgard!"

Hiccup smiled. "Loki said I was gifted at this. It's an honor to meet you – Captain Kaldr."

He extended his hand for a real handshake, and Kaldr took it readily.

"And I am honored to meet you, Akkeri."

"Akkeri?" Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

"You are the anchor of Midgard, Akkeri in elvish," Kaldr smiled. "You are called Akkeri on Alfheim."

"Well, I have too many blasted titles," Hiccup laughed. "Stick with Hiccup."

"And I am just plain Kaldr." Kaldr shook himself. "You look like Loki, Hiccup. Has anyone ever told you that?"

Hiccup stood still. "Yes," he answered. "It's just my eyes."

Kaldr nodded slowly. "Aye, it is your eyes – that and more. I saw the heart and soul of a hero in your eyes, Hiccup. Long ago the Giant Riders saw the same thing in mine, when they first met me and trained me. Now I shall do the same for you. Today, I and my dragon Brenakir become your mentors. You are true, Hiccup."

"Mentors?" Hiccup asked.

"Yes, mentors," Kaldr answered. "And I say mentors because we are NOT your masters. No longer are you subject to the will of one person, Hiccup of Midgard. I am here to guide you, not to command you. I am not your dictator, I am your brother. Brothers in arms. Soon, when I finish teaching you, will we be Captains together." Kaldr smiled.

Hiccup grinned back, and then he suddenly felt a presence strike his mind.

"Hiccup, it is Brenakir," a deep, rumbling voice called inside his head.

Hiccup followed Toothless' instructions and answered. "Brenakir. It is an honor to meet you, Dragon of Alfheim."

Brenakir chuckled, smoke coming from his large nostrils. "No fancy titles for me, Akkeri, I despise them even more than you. I am Brenakir, and Brenakir I am."

Hiccup grinned."Very well, Brenakir. And you can stop calling me Akkeri. Perhaps I am the Anchor of Midgard, but soon I am to be the Rider of Asgard. Just call me Hiccup."

"That is a very odd name,"Brenakir commented, bemused."That is not a name to make the world tremble."

"Not yet,"Hiccup replied."But I'll make hiccup a title to be feared."

"Ahh!"Brenakir raised his head proudly."A good answer! I think you shall be a respectable Rider, Hiccup."

"I'm honored to hear it, Brenakir,"Hiccup replied. Then he turned back to Kaldr.

"So you are training me? When do we start?"

"We start soon," Kaldr smiled. "But first, you want to ride your dragon, and spend some time with him. Learn to use your new communication. Do not waste time, but enjoy yourself and use it wisely. I have much to discuss with you when you return."

"Yes!" Hiccup grinned. He turned to Toothless. "We get to fly now, bud!"

Kaldr turned to Brenakir and shouted. ""

With a roar, Brenakir leapt up and seized hold of a giant bar on the ceiling with both his front legs. Then, pushing off the ground with his hind legs, he slid open a massive door in the ceiling, revealing a clear, glorious blue sky above, with a slight wind whispering above. The sun was shining, and Hiccup blinked at its light. He had not truly seen the sun for a long time.

"Fly, Hiccup!" Kaldr grinned, gesturing to the open door. "For today you are free. Explore the world. Explore Asgard. Do whatever you desire, just be back by sundown."

Hiccup didn't even wait to thank Kaldr. "Let's go, Toothless!" He shouted aloud, and with a happy roar, Toothless scooped up Hiccup in one paw and tossed him onto his back, where a fine black saddle was already buckled. Hiccup landed clumsily, and for the first time realized that he could fly without his metal leg. Toothless was whole, and so was he.

"Let's go!" He yelled, and with a roar, Toothless sprung off the solid floor, hurtling through the open door and into the air above.

Hiccup screamed in excitement as Toothless thundered through the air, faster than he'd ever flown before.

"YEEEEAAAHHH BUD!" He yelled, out loud, as Toothless rocketed into the sky. "Gods, how I've missed this! Go, Toothless, go!"

With a triumphant roar, Toothless leveled himself out, and Hiccup looked down. They had just shot out of a massive gate in the roof of a large golden outcrop of Asgard. And as Hiccup looked around, he was stunned.

They were high in the Levels of Asgard, almost at the very top. The golden houses, halls, and walkways of the city all shimmered beneath him like a thousand suns. The Golden City, Asgard, was enormous, and they were flying over it.

Hiccup looked up from the majestic view of the city, and gasped again. Asgard was surrounded by mountains, and the city itself was so large that it was the height of a mountain itself. Below, just beyond the city gates, was a great lake, and beyond it a grassy valley that led through the mountains.

"It's awe-inspiring,"Toothless commented, soaring higher. "I have not flown on Asgard before. In the name of the Old Ones, this is the most mesmerizing view I have ever seen."

"It is incredible,"Hiccup answered.

"It is so warm, also!"Toothless sighed happily."On Alfheim we trained high in the mountains, where the ice is thick and the snow soft. There the cold bites into your wings and makes your scales crack."

"That doesn't sound fun,"Hiccup laughed.

"It is not!" Toothless cried gleefully. "But this weather is marvelous! Let us fly!"

And for the first time in two long weeks, Hiccup and Toothless were flying together. Hiccup yelled in excitement as Toothless performed intricate moves and flew at breakneck speeds over the mountains. But eventually they tired and decided they needed to do some serious catching up. They chose a mighty cliff beyond Asgard Lake, with a stunning view of the city. Toothless swooped down and landed.

"Well, let us talk,"Toothless snorted, sitting down. "We have much to discuss, and for once we can easily tell what the other is trying to say."

"How was Alfheim?"Hiccup asked, sliding off Toothless and leaning against his dragon's leg.

Toothless lowered his head to the ground, and Hiccup shifted so that he leaned against Toothless' head instead. He laid his arm over the dragon's skull, his hand right above Toothless' eye.

"You're gigantic, bud,"Hiccup smiled."What did they do to you on Alfheim? Tell me all about what happened, from the day we parted."

And there, sitting on a cliff above the Golden City, Toothless and Hiccup poured their souls out to one another. Toothless explained all that he had done on Alfheim, from learning about wind angles to stories of the Old Ones, the Alpha dragons of legend, whom he was descended. About his father, the Thunderbird. About the elves.

In return, Hiccup told Toothless all about what he had done on Asgard. The Wolf, his discussions with Loki, and Aiah. He spoke of his attempt to send a message back to Astrid, and his duel with Freyja. He told Toothless about making the Zippleback bomb, to which the dragon seemed to be very interested. He talked of the Asgardian Council, and how Odin hated him. He talked about his vow to never look in a mirror until his training was over. Nothing was left out, and for hours they sat there, enjoying each other's company and getting to know each other once again.

"I'm much different, Toothless,"Hiccup said, when he finished telling his story. "I'm not myself, bud. I swore I'd never look in a mirror until this training was over, and do you know why? Because I'm afraid, bud. I'm afraid that when I look at myself, it won't be Hiccup staring back. It'll be something else that I don't know."

"The Wolf is not meant to break you,"Toothless said wisely. "It just needed to make your mind strong, so you can resist the temptations that Hel uses. Our bond, this bond that we share, protects me from it, but not you. You needed to master your mind, and that was all. You changed, but that's only natural, Hiccup."

"I sure hope so, bud,"Hiccup replied."What about you, do you feel changed, Toothless?"

"Other than being a gaint?"Toothless chuckled, his head shaking."Not particularly. I am still myself, still the dragon that saw you a year ago and decided you were different. The responsibility is heavy, however, now that I know what I must do. I feel slightly burdened, Hiccup."

"As do I."Hiccup sighed."You know, that prophecy only said I was the hope of Midgard, not that I would actually save it. Nothing is certain. Fate has a cruel sense of humor, as Asgeirr once said. We may all die, Toothless, us, Kaldr, Brenakir, and everyone on Midgard."

"Will you have Kaldr fight for you when you become Captain?"Toothless asked."You do know that once you are Captain, you can command him to do battle at your side?"

"I know that,"Hiccup answered."Loki told me. And yes, I will definitely call on Kaldr and Brenakir to fight for me I don't care if Odin won't let me, I will do it. It's in my discretion to summon Kaldr to fight for me, and I WILL do it."

"Good."Toothless smiled a dragon smile."I would feel much better with Brenakir by my side. Brenakir is a legend, Hiccup, and so is Kaldr. They defeated the Giant Riders of Jutonheim. We'll need them when we fight against Hel and the Hydra."

Hiccup frowned."But why does everyone assume that the Hydra is evil?"He asked."Just because your brother was born in Helheim doesn't mean that he is truly evil."

"But Hel has him under her control,"Toothless explained."My kin's mind will be overthrown, like the Red Death."

"Right,"Hiccup sighed."But Toothless, is there a way that you can break the mind control?"

Toothless shook his head slightly."Not that I know of. The only way to prevent Hel from getting control of you is to bond with a rider. That is why I am safe, because I am bonded with you. Brenakir is safe because he bonded with Kaldr."

"But what if I die?"Hiccup turned to face Toothless."If I die, what happens to you? What happens to our bond?"

Toothless was quiet for a second, then answered."Brenakir told me once, very solemnly. If either of us die, then the other will be shattered, devastated. It will be like losing a part of yourself. And if you die, my mind WILL be able to be controlled. If you die, Hel will find me and capture me. I will die."

"That's not right!"Hiccup gripped Toothless' ear."Bud, I can't let you take that risk! If I die, I don't want you being forced to die with me!"

"Barzack!"Toothless barked. It was the first time Hiccup had heard a dragon curse, and he jumped in shock. Toothless went on."If you die, I will be nothing, Hiccup! I would be torn apart, this bond that binds us now will be taken away and I will be destroyed. The bond becomes stronger with time. Eventually, our minds will be so connected that the death of one automatically causes the death of another. But if you died, even now, I would be shattered. I would kill myself."

Hiccup swallowed."That is how powerful the bond is?"

"Yes,"Toothless said."Brenakir would not speak much of it, but he claimed that if Kaldr died, he would most likely go mad and kill everything in sight, before dying of grief."

"That is not normal,"Hiccup said quietly.

"Neither is talking with our minds!"Toothless laughed."I could do it with Brenakir, and I can do it with you, and I can do it with any other being with the GIFT that I come across. If I ever fought Krelvin or the Hydra, we could speak to each other in battle."

"And what about me?"Hiccup asked."Can I speak with other humans who have GIFT?"

"Yes,"Toothless affirmed. "You can speak with Kaldr if you wish, but humans usually use their mouths. At long distances it can be used, however."

"Does this range ever grow too far to communicate with?"Hiccup asked.

"Well, it's complicated,"Toothless explained."You and I are bonded, which means we can talk to each other automatically, without asking. We can do it as long as we are on the same world. But if I were to go to Alfheim, and you stayed here, we would not be able to talk."

"Right,"Hiccup nodded."But what about any other person?"

"To talk to any other GIFTED person you have to call their name,"Toothless told Hiccup."For instance, if you wanted Kaldr, you would call in your mind, 'Kaldr!' and Kaldr would hear it. Then he could choose to talk to you or not. If he did not, he could shut you out. The range for this kind of communication is much shorter. You can only speak within the distance of a league. You also don't even know if the person is there, you have to call and answer or be called."

"So calling someone is dangerous,"Hiccup said."What if I called to Zyon while we were within range, and he heard but chose not to answer? Then he would know I was near, but I wouldn't know if he was."

"That's right,"Toothless admitted."So do not call your enemies unless you can see them or know where they are."

"This GIFT magic stuff is complicated,"Hiccup grumbled.

"And you whine a lot, Hiccup,"Toothless replied.

"You eat too much fish."

"Not anymore. The reason I liked fish so much was because they gave me one of the keys to growth. I was missing the second key, which was this strange thing that grows in the ground. Once I ate those two things every day, I grew like a weed. Now I don't desire fish as much."

Hiccup laughed."I thought you told me everything, Toothless! Let's go over this again! What else did you do on Alfheim?!"

Bog Burglar Island, Day 15 since Hiccup's Departure

Camicazi, heiress to the Bog Burglars, ran her hone across her curved sword one last time. Then, heaving a deep sigh, she looked to the table at her right. The parchment lay there, the letter that the anonymous spy had written to her mother, Big Boobied Bertha. Alongside it was the knife that had pinned it to the chair.

"In ninety-six hours, you can expect to be attacked with the greatest force of dragons ever seen. Be prepared."

Ninety hours had passed since the message had been received, and her mother, Big Boobied Bertha, had treated it as gospel. For the past three days the Bog Burglars had done nothing but work, rebuilding defenses, creating a makeshift forge to replace the one that the dragon raid had destroyed, and getting prepared for a terrible onslaught. Now it was midnight, the night before the battle. Chief Bertha had ordered all the Bog Burglars to sleep, to rest and prepare for the battle in the morning. And they would do it alone, for their allies had not yet arrived.

Camicazi could not sleep, however. She was too nervous. She got up and paced the room, one of her swords in her hand.

Among the many tasks that needed to be done was releasing the dragons that they had captured. Camicazi sighed sadly as she remembered releasing the dragons who they had cared so well for. They had all wanted to be freed, but they bore no grudge against the Boggies, and they simply took off into the distance. It had made her sad to see them go, for they carried her hopes and dreams with them. She had wanted her own dragon, a smart, stealthy beast to help her. Now she had nothing, and was doomed to fight a dragon army in six hours.

"Thor dammit!" Camicazi swore, slamming her sword down on the bed next to her. She whirled to her shelf, where a large collection of stolen items sat, glorified. Walking over to it, she laid her hands alongside her most recent additions.

The helmet of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, heir to the tribe of Berk, and the bag of coins she had lifted from his belt when she kissed him the night he arrived on their island. She smiled slightly, amused. Hiccup had actually thought she wanted to bed him, and maybe she sorta did. But her original intent was just to distract him so she could steal this bag of coins from his belt. When she opened it later, she found that it was full of fake gold, utterly worthless. Hiccup had a sense of humor.

"What went wrong?" Camicazi asked herself aloud. "It was all so perfect. Hiccup was going to teach us, we were going to become a part of the next age of Vikings. We were enjoying life. His dragon was drunk, and I had fun trying to seduce him. Then somehow that dumb vortex of light came and took him. I do not understand."

With a final glance at the mean-looking helmet that Hiccup had worn, she turned back to her bed. Picking up her two vicious swords, she slid them into their sheaths and tossed her hone aside. Then she laid down on the bed, stretching her legs. Six hours. She closed her eyes.

Then, in the distance, a horn blew.

Camicazi sat bolt upright in bed, grabbing her swords. Cursing, she swung her belt over her hips. Looking down at the parchment, she cursed it for perhaps being wrong. Then, in the spur of the moment, she picked up the knife that had come with the message.

Tucking the knife into her boot, Camicazi leapt to the door, flinging it open. Her mother, Big Boobied Bertha, was emerging from the door in the opposite room.

"What was that horn, mom!?" Camicazi asked, as her mother opened the front door of their house, still strapping on her sword belt.

"I don't know!" Bertha jumped out the door and Camicazi followed. The entire Bog Burglar Island was pouring out of their homes and into the street, carrying weapons staring into the south. A horn sounded again, and Camicazi stared. Then a second horn blew. And a third.

None were the Berkian horn. They were horns that Camicazi had heard only a few times in her life. In the waning darkness to the south there were three fleets of ships, with banners flying and horns blowing.

Camicazi fell to one knee, tears of joy coming to her eyes. The Outcasts, the Murderous tribe, and the Berserkers had answered their call.

Two hours later Camicazi was sitting in the Great Hall, along with her mother, Big Boobied Bertha. They were sitting across from the leaders of three powerful Viking tribes, both whom had promised to fight for them. Camicazi sipped her ale and looked from left to right.

Alvin the Treacherous, chief of the Outcasts, sat on the far left, his lips curled in a menacing smirk. His gigantic size made it difficult to sit on the bench, and he seemed slightly uncomfortable. He was armored in ugly Outcast armor and had the ugly Outcast symbol on his breast.

Camicazi shifted her gaze to the man beside Alvin. He was small, lean, and mean. Savage, the second-in-command to Alvin, was an Outcast that was perhaps the most dislikeable person to ever walk the earth. He smelled horrible, and his teeth were so yellowed and crooked that Camicazi was surprised they were still in his mouth. But he was a ferocious fighter, and the many weapons he carried reflected the fact.

In the middle sat another man that was a ferocious fighter – Madguts, chief of the Murderous Tribe. The Murderous tribe were close allies with the Bog Burglars, and Camicazi actually had a special place in her heart for Madguts. She respected him, he respected her, and she never stole anything from him. It was her way of saying she liked him. Madguts was the only representative of the Murderous Tribe, for his wife and young son had stayed back on his island.

Camicazi nodded at Madguts and then turned to look at the next person. She frowned. This one she had her doubts about.

She had never seen Dagur the Deranged before, but she had certainly heard stories. He was the young new chief of the Berserker Tribe, only recently becoming a chief after his father's death. In fact, both his mother and father had died at the same time. However, Dagur most likely did not even care about his parent's death. He was truly insane. He had his mind set on killing dragons and nothing else. He hated Hiccup with every breath he took, and that seemed to be his only focus in the current discussion.

"So you are telling us you did NOT kill Hiccup!?" He asked, his eyes staring wildly. "If not, then WHERE IS HE?"

"That's what I want to know also," rumbled Madguts the Murderous. "In your message you were very cryptic, Bertha. You said he came to your island and died, and because of that Berk was declaring war. Did you kill him or not?"

Bertha looked at Camicazi, and Camicazi nodded. She and her mother had discussed this earlier.

"Best tell them the truth, mom," Camicazi said.

Bertha nodded. "Very well." She straightened up and addressed the three chieftains.

"We heard rumors that Hiccup and the Berkian tribe had learned to ride dragons, and were teaching other tribes to do the same. We didn't know how true it was, but -"

"Oh, it was true!" Dagur blurted. "Thor above, it was true! Hiccup is riding a Night Fury. The boy is trying to teach other people to train the beasts! I want his Night Fury! I want to kill it!" Dagur drew his sword and brandished it.

Alvin the Treacherous spoke up. "It is true, Bertha. Hiccup is training other tribes to ride the dragons, and he already taught the Meatheads and Bashem Island. They now ride the beasts as well. It is abominable."

"We later learned that fact," Bertha went on. "We were enraged that someone would dare to join forces with the enemy. When Hiccup arrived, and we saw him on the back of a Night Fury, our suspicions were confirmed! We were furious, and tried to capture him and the dragon. He resisted, and we killed them both."

Bertha paused, and Camicazi bit her lip. Her mother was not a very good liar. But then again, Vikings were not smart. Even though they had told the entire village to lie about killing Hiccup, and the truth was sure to be expressed by someone eventually, the leaders of the tribes across from them were most likely too stupid to grasp what that meant. They were still not gathering the basic facts.

"So Hiccup IS dead?" Alvin said, impressed. "That is an impressive thing, Bertha. Hiccup is a hard boy to kill."

"He did put up quite the fight, or his Night Fury did," Camicazi broke in. "But we shot down the beast and then I slit Hiccup's throat with this very knife." Camicazi placed her own knife on the table, catching the attention of all the chieftains. "We burned the bodies, hoping that Berk would never be able to prove that we killed them, but those blasted fools are too smart. They knew we killed him and declared war on us."

"They probably had Terrible Terrors spying on you," Madguts growled. "I've heard the Berkians use those little dragons to spy for them. It's outrageous."

"Nonetheless, that is why we sent those ships to you, asking you for assistance," Bertha stated. "And I am grateful to all of you for coming to help us in our cause."

"What is your cause?" Alvin asked, leaning forward.

Bertha paused for effect. "To kill every dragon rider in the archipelago," she said firmly. "To protect this Island, and to kill all the Viking traitors that sided with our enemies."

"Yes!" Dagur shouted. "Death to all the dragons!"

"Death," Savage muttered, a grin on his ugly face. "I like the sound of that."

"I must warn you," Bertha said. "We have a spy on our side, and he informed us that we are being attacked this morning with the greatest dragon army ever seen. With your help, we certainly outnumber them, but the dragons are deadly. Many will die."

"That is the price of war," Madguts the Murderous stated. "We must hold out. Did you send a message to Hysteria, Bertha?"

"Yes," Bertha rumbled. "And we are expecting them soon." She smiled. "Once we have Hysteria, the Vikings are DOOMED."

"YES!" Shouted Dagur. "We will kill them all!"

Alvin smirked. "We have honored your call because we are allies," he told Bertha. "But I need to know what I and my tribe stand to gain from this fight. Why should we fight for you?"

"Ah," Bertha smiled. "That brings me to the next part." She leaned forward. "When we win this war, we will have three villages conquered. Berk, the entire set of Meathead Isles, and Bashem Island will be ours. You shall have those three islands to divide amongst yourselves. You, Chief Madguts, shall have Bashem Island, for I know you have always wanted it. Alvin, your dream will come true, and you will be the Chief of Berk. And you, Dagur, you shall have the glory of the Berserker who killed all the dragons, and we will also give you the Meathead Isles."

Bertha smiled and looked at her allies.

Alvin the Treacherous had a broad grin on his face. "I want Berk," he laughed. "That is enough for me. We will fight for you, Bertha!" He grabbed his axe and slammed it into the table. "To WAR!"

Madguts the Murderous rose to his feet. "We have always been close allies, Bertha, Camicazi," he said. "And I would fight whenever you call, I ask for nothing. I will do this with you, even if it means the destruction of my own tribe." He drew his sword and stabbed it into the table, where it quivered. "To WAR!" He roared.

Dagur the Deranged picked up his sword, which was still sitting on the table. He grinned. "If it means killing dragons, then I will ALWAYS oblige you," he smirked. "We are allies, but I just want to kill the dragons. I'll take the Meathead Isles, too. I like them." He jumped to his feet and swung his sword into the table. "TO WAAAARRRR!" He screamed.

Big Boobied Bertha turned to gaze triumphantly at her daughter, and Camicazi, a huge smile on her pretty face, stood up with her mother. "To war!" She cried, and stabbed one of her curved blades into the wood, right next to Madguts'.

The Big Boobied Bertha raised her axe, and hammered it into the table with such force the entire thing shook.

"TO WAR!" She screamed.

"War!" Madguts cried. "War!"

Then all the Viking chiefs leapt to their feet, taking up the chant.

"War! War! War!"

Above Asgard, Day 14 since Hiccup's Departure

Hiccup and Toothless sailed into the sunset, the last rays of the Asgardian sun reflecting off the golden city.

"Doesn't it look amazing, bud?"Hiccup marveled, as the Night Fury swooped lower, smoothly dancing through the air."It's so beautiful."

"It truly is,"Toothless agreed, taking a slight turn to his right."And look how big it is. Many humans must live there."

"Yeah, there's a lot of Aesir in that place,"Hiccup answered, as they approached the outer golden walls of the city."And lots of Gods, too. It's really such a shame most of them are so nasty. Have you met any Gods yet, Toothless?"

"Well, I saw Odin before I left,"Toothless replied."But when I was on Alfheim, I only saw elves except for Eir, the Goddess. She came to heal my tail."

"Eir,"Hiccup smiled.

"You want to mate with her, am I right?"Toothless asked slyly."You told me about her."

"What? No, I don't want to mate with her,"Hiccup faltered."I – I don't know, Toothless. I still love Astrid, and I can't leave her. I'm just afraid that she doesn't love me."

"Astrid always seemed to like you,"Toothless sniffed, smoke coming from his nostrils."And you wanted to mate with her, too."

Hiccup sighed."Why do you always say 'mate with,' bud?"

Toothless flashed an eye back at Hiccup quizzically."Mating?"

"What do you mean by mating?"

"Oh, I say that because it means you want to turn Astrid on her back and -"

"Ok, Ok, that's enough, bud!"Hiccup laughed, as Toothless shook slightly with a dragon chuckle."I get the idea."

"Well, what do you humans call it?"Toothless asked, amused.

"That depends,"Hiccup grinned."Like, I wanted to MARRY Astrid. That means I really love her and also want to – to mate with her."

Toothless was confused."What does marrying mean, exactly?"

"Marriage means that a man and a woman become joined together for life. They stand by each other and can't marry or mate with anyone else while they're married."

Toothless sniffed disdainfully."You foolish humans. We dragons do not care who we mate with. I could mate with a thousand females and no one would care."

"But what if you found a dragon that was perfect for you, bud? Like a female Night Fury? Would you stay with her forever?"

Toothless hesitated."I suppose I would,"he said thoughtfully."But that is different, I can only reproduce with another Night Fury, I think. You can reproduce with every female in your culture."

"Well, I love Astrid, and I think I'm falling in love with Eir,"Hiccup sighed."What should I do?"

"Mate with both of them,"Toothless answered promptly.

Hiccup laughed, the sound echoing over the golden ramparts of Asgard as Toothless sailed over them."I can't just do that, bud! I can't marry two people. I can only have one."

"This whole marriage thing is pathetic,"Toothless scoffed."All right then, marry one, and mate with the other."

"I can't do that either!"Hiccup facepalmed, shaking with laughter."Bud, you don't understand."

"Clearly I don't,"Toothless grumbled."But I do understand that humans have stupid customs."

Hiccup shook his head."If you were a human, you'd understand. I can't marry one and mate with the other, and I can't mate with both, and I can't marry both. So what should I do?"

"You are supposed to marry the one you love, correct?"Toothless asked.

"Right,"Hiccup replied.

"Well then marry Eir,"Toothless said promptly.

"What? Why her?"Hiccup asked.

"Because,"Toothless explained."If you truly loved Astrid, you never would have fallen for Eir."

Hiccup blinked."Whoa,"he admitted."That actually makes sense… almost, however how do I know she isn't using her god powers to seduce me?"

Toothless shrugged. " you have a good point but still,I'd just mate with them both,"he expostulated."But it's your problem, not mine. Wave to the people down there who are waving at you."

"Why?"Hiccup asked, even though he obeyed and waved at the group of Aesir who were standing on the rooftop.

"Brenakir says the rider always must wave at the common folk,"Toothless answered."It makes them like you, and when you are the Captain of the Realm, people should like you."

"I see,"Hiccup answered."But if everyone in the city decides to wave to me, I'm afraid they're out of luck."

"Oh, that will never happen,"Toothless mocked."Who would ever want to wave at you?"

Dragon and rider bantered back and forth for the next few minutes as Toothless flew down to the open gate that they had exited from. Then he changed the subject.

"This was the dragon hall, back when Asgard had an Alpha Dragon,"Toothless informed him, preparing to land."There hasn't been a dragon in it since the Dragon Krelvin, who was Lord Zyon's bonded one."

"I've heard a lot about Lord Zyon,"Hiccup answered."From what I hear, he fights for Hel, and we'll most likely have to fight him at some point in the future. Could you defeat a trained Skrill, Toothless?"

"Of course not, not now. And you could not defeat Zyon in combat."

Hiccup nodded."We are good, Toothless, but not good enough. The ones who trained before us are better. Zyon and Krelvin are better, and Kaldr and Brenakir are better. We must listen to them, bud."

"I listen to Brenakir until my ears ache,"Toothless replied."Make sure you do the same with Kaldr. Kaldr is a quiet elf, Hiccup. You must make friends with him, get him to talk freely. Only then will you learn as much as you can – and should."

"All right,"Hiccup agreed. "I will try to make friends with the elf. But we already trust each other and I think we like each other. We'll get along, bud."

"Here we go to land!"Toothless roared."I wish we could fly forever, Hiccup, but we must do our duty. We need to find Brenakir and Kaldr, for it almost sunset. It never pays to be late."

In twenty minutes, Hiccup and Toothless were separate again, but Hiccup still felt his mental bond. They were in different areas of Asgard, for Toothless was flying around the city with Brenakir, and Hiccup was sitting at a table with Kaldr, enjoying a good, relaxed dinner. The two had immediately taken to each other, and in an hour became fast friends. After they talked for a while, they took off their armor, and walked back to a new suite of chambers to dine. Now they were trading stories and laughing like old friends.

"And so you became Captain of Alfheim," Hiccup said, taking a bite of the chicken wing in his hand. "It must have been a great honor."

Kaldr laughed. "Really, I was just glad the training was over," he admitted. "Phase Three, the last Phase, is a little more like Phase One, in the sense that it is seriously challenging. Phase Two was actually enjoyable, and that's what we're in right now."

"Phase Two," Hiccup said. "So this is the Phase where I learn about dragonback fighting?"

"That and many other things," Kaldr said. "I'll be teaching you most of the time, but you'll still have private trainers to take care of your other obligations. Who teaches you swordplay?"

"An elf named Alaedlar," Hiccup answered.

Kaldr nodded. "Ah. He was the same one that taught me as well. He is a good swordsman."

"He is," Hiccup agreed. "He's also very nice, in comparison to Asgeirr."

Kaldr opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again. Hiccup could have sworn he smiled slightly.

"Yes, Asgeirr is kind of a," he agreed, pouring himself another goblet of milk. "But after my final test, my opinion of him drastically changed. As it will with you."

"Will it?" Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "What's so damn special about this 'Final Test' thing, Kaldr? Is it like the Phase One final test? Will I be tortured to death?"

"No," Kaldr told him. "The final test, the test that once you pass, you will become Captain of Asgard, is much different and much harder. I'm not allowed to tell you what it is, and even if I was, I wouldn't do it, for your own benefit. In order for the test to properly challenge you, you cannot know what it is."

"Yeah, yeah," Hiccup grunted, taking another bite.

"I can tell you, however," Kaldr went on, "that your PhaseTwofinal test will be exactly like Phase One. They will torture you again."

"Again?" Hiccup shuddered, remembering what he had endured several days ago. "Geez, can't they leave me alone? I passed once!"

"Hey, I didn't create this training program," Kaldr laughed. "And it was only with reluctance that I agreed to train you. However, you greatly surprised me. When I passed Phase One, I was utterly ruined. The Cobra ruined me, and I was revolving in and out of insanity for weeks. Did you have a Cobra?"

"No." Hiccup stopped eating. "Mine was a Wolf, a wolf-headed man."

Kaldr nodded slowly. "A Wolf. Interesting. Mine was a man with the head of a Cobra. Regardless, it destroyed me, and I almost went out of my mind. You seem very in control, and you only beat him a week ago."

"Everyone's been saying I'm passing it all way too quickly," Hiccup commented. "I beat The Wolf in about a week, and I passed the entirety of Phase One in two weeks. They say that they're hurrying me through it, because of Hel, but that's only half true."

Kaldr smiled. "They do not wish to inflate your ego."

"Well, I'm actually becoming very arrogant now." Hiccup selected a choice grape from the table in front of him and popped it in his mouth. "But I believe I have a right to be. I beat Thor in a boxing match," Kaldr's eyebrows rose, "And I defeated Freyja in single combat."

Kaldr stared. "What?"

"I fought Freyja," Hiccup explained. "I told her that her sons were Toothless and the Hydra, and she was incensed. She attacked me, and I fought back. I beat her, cut her arm, and broke her crown. Then I escaped, taking the Sword of Death with me."

Kaldr was gaping. "You did all that and GOT AWAY WITH IT?" He asked in shock. "What did you do with the Sword of Death!? You know that sword can bring something back from the DEAD, right?"

"I know that." Hiccup leaned back. "As for what I did with it, I disposed of it in a safe place, where I can recover it if need be."

Kaldr shook his head in disbelief. "That is seriously impressive, Hiccup. I assume Odin was furious?"

"Oh, he was." Hiccup laughed. "He had Asgeirr ask me where it was when he was torturing me. Obviously I never told him. I don't know why Odin had to be so obstinate about it. I would have given it to him if he had just done what I asked."

"What did you ask for in return?" Kaldr queried.

"I wanted to send a message back to Midgard," Hiccup answered. "They all thought I was dead when I was taken up to this place. I just wanted to tell them that I was OK."

"And Odin didn't agree to that?" Kaldr seemed surprised. "It would seem that a message would be worth the Sword of Death, that's for certain."

"I think it was all Asgeirr's fault," Hiccup answered. "He said that if Odin let me do it, I'd get too cocky. He said I can't get what I want. So they didn't agree."

"Ah." Kaldr dipped a piece of bread in his milk and conveyed it to his mouth. "So you never were able to send a message back?"

"Actually, I did," Hiccup returned. "Aiah did it for me."

Kaldr looked askance at Hiccup. "Aiah? Who is that?"

"Oh, yeah." Hiccup grinned. "Did you ever meet Odin's little seer?"

"Oh, the purple eyed little girl?" Kaldr nodded. "I did. She scared me, really. I don't like her. Is she still here?"

"Yes, and I actually do like her," Hiccup said. "I gave her that name, Aiah."

"Sweet Little One in Old Norse," Kaldr commented. "How did that ever come about?"

"She is sweet and she's little." Hiccup smiled. "She's a very nice person. I know her purple eyes and queer nature make her dislikable, but inside she is actually the little girl that her figure shows. She just wanted someone to finally like her, someone who realized how much she suffered. I was that person for her."

"Well she unnerved me too much," Kaldr laughed. "I saw her as someone who just did her job, which was looking into my past and finding out the information needed to drive me insane. Naturally I hated her for that."

"Well, she did the same to me," Hiccup replied. "But like you said, she was just doing her job. Like Asgeirr."

"Asgeirr be blasted." Kaldr stood up and stretched, his strong shoulders rolling under his blue vest. "The Warlock is a good being, but he could be a little more understanding. All he wants is his Godhood." Kaldr unbuttoned his vest. "Which he will get after he trains you."

"While we're on the topic of swords," Hiccup went on, "I noticed that you wear your sword on your belt, on your hip. Alaedlar told me to wear mine on my back. Why"

"Ah." Kaldr grinned. "Because you are an apprentice, Hiccup. It is a sign of authority to wear the sword on your hip. When you are not yet ready, you wear it on your back."

"Oh. Well I feel special," Hiccup chuckled.

"Well, when you get to wear it on your hip, it's a feeling of achievement," Kaldr finished, then bowed his head to take off his vest.

Hiccup raised an eyebrow as Kaldr stripped off his vest and tossed it to the back of his chair. The elf was certainly well-muscled, but what caught Hiccup's eye was the chain around his neck. On it hung two things: a very odd key, and a shining blue stone.

Hiccup nodded at them as Kaldr picked up a shirt to put on.

"What are those?" He asked. "I know what the key is, but why do you wear that stone?"

Kaldr froze in the middle of putting his shirt on. Then he tugged it over his head and stared levelly at Hiccup.

"You know what this key is for?"

"Yes, Asgeirr told me," Hiccup replied. "It's the only key to a certain box in the vaults of Alfheim, which contains a magical device that combined the magic of elves and Gods. It allows the user to take the magic of any given God and store it in a box, to be used at the possessor's discretion. You made it with your own hands."

Kaldr smiled, and sat down, his new shirt on. "Yes, I made it. And I will never do it again unless I must. I didn't realize how powerful my device was until I made it. Asgeirr told me you made a bomb. Most impressive."

Hiccup accepted the praise with an incline of his head. "I just had the right materials. So what is the stone, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Not at all." Kaldr pulled the chain out from under his shirt and displayed it. "This is a magical charm, given to me by the Prince of Alfheim. If I smash this stone, it summons 1000 elves to the spot by BiFrost. If I am ever in need of my armies, I simply have to break the stone."

"Wow," Hiccup said in awe. "When I'm Captain of Asgard, will they make me one of those?"

Kaldr shrugged. "I have no idea. Probably not. They didn't give Zyon one."

"Well, Zyon betrayed Asgard as soon as he passed his final test," Hiccup added. "I doubt they would have."

"How do you know so much about Zyon?" Kaldr asked, curiously.

"Loki takes great pleasure in telling me all about Zyon."

Kaldr frowned. "I'm surprised. Loki never talked to me much about anything except lying. I was a very bad liar, and he seemed to get exasperated trying to teach it to me. But eventually I passed."

"An honest elf, huh?" Hiccup chuckled. "Yeah, that's not the case with me. Loki says I lie like I was born to do it."

Kaldr laughed. "So anything you're telling me right now could be complete goblin-yock."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "Goblin-yock? What in Thor's name is that?"

"Oh, that's right," Kaldr laughed. "You have no goblins on Midgard. Well, on Alfheim, the Goblins are the enemy. Goblin-yock is our term for basically anything Goblin-like and disgusting. It's a saying."

"So like yakshit for us," Hiccup grinned.

"Yes, like yakshit," Kaldr laughed. "Yakshit. That's a new one for me."

Kaldr and Hiccup shared a laugh, and then Kaldr leaned forward. He didn't speak for a second, and then he spoke.

"Hiccup, I am going to call you with the GIFT," he stated. "Brenakir is going to call too. Hold on."

Immediately Hiccup heard a call in his head.

"Kaldr,"It said.

Hiccup accepted the call."Kaldr. Hiccup."

"Forgive me for doing this, Hiccup,"Kaldr said mentally, while grinning. Hiccup grinned back, for it seemed ridiculous to talk in each other's minds while they were sitting right across from each other."But Brenakir is involved in this also."

Hiccup felt another call in his mind, this time from Brenakir. He accepted it also, and the dragon spoke.

"Hello, Hiccup."

"Hey, Brenakir,"Hiccup said."Toothless, are you here too?"

"I'm always with you,"Toothless answered."They can't hear us talk to each other, and we can't hear them talk to each other, but they can both hear you when you talk because you've accepted them both. And I can hear you when you talk to them too."

"OK,"Hiccup laughed.

"We have a question for you, Hiccup,"Kaldr said."We need to know. When you become Captain of Asgard, will you summon us? Will you make us fight in the war?"

"We must know,"Brenakir added.

Hiccup spoke to Toothless only."Should I tell them, bud?"

"Yes, you must,"Toothless answered."We must be honest with them, Hiccup. They are good, and they are true. They are teaching us and are our friends. Tell them the truth."

Hiccup returned to Brenakir and Kaldr.

"Yes,"he said firmly, locking gazes with Kaldr."I will. When I become Captain of Asgard, the very first thing I will do is order you to fight for me. The threat of Hel is not just against Midgard, but against all the nine realms. If Hel takes Midgard and has a force of immortal dead, then she will find a way to spread to the other realms. It is everyone's fight, and I will need you. Yes, Kaldr, Brenakir, I WILL summon you."

There was a long silence, and Hiccup presumed that Kaldr and Brenakir were conversing. Then Kaldr nodded, and leaned back in his chair.

"So be it,"Kaldr and Brenakir said together. Then Brenakir vanished, and so did Toothless.

Kaldr spoke aloud, disconnecting from Hiccup's mind.

"We expected as much."

"I hope you are not offended," Hiccup replied. "But in this matter I won't put personal likes and dislikes above my goal. I like you, Kaldr, and I feel I can already call you a friend. But when it comes to war, I look at you and Brenakir as assets. You are a great warrior, and Brenakir is a great dragon. Why should I pass up a chance to have you at my side?"

Kaldr nodded. "I am not offended. Alfheim made a bargain with Asgard, and that bargain was that if they trained me, I would have to fight for you whenever you called. I do my duty as a soldier of Alfheim. But even if this were not so, I fear for Alfheim also. Hel needs to be stopped, and I want to do my part."

Kaldr reached across the table and shook Hiccup's hand. Then he smiled.

"For now, I am your trainer, your guide, your mentor, in essence, your commander. And when you are ready, our roles will reverse. You will command me." He laughed. "An odd circumstance."

"The odd circumstances are usually the best ones," Hiccup smiled. "I'm glad you will fight willingly, Kaldr. We must do this."

Kaldr nodded. "We must. And I must train you. We will get some sleep, Hiccup. From now on you no longer sleep alone, we share a room. We will spend almost all of our time together."

"Well I hope we don't share a bed," Hiccup laughed.

"What!?" Kaldr grinned. "You wouldn't want to cuddle up with all this?" He lifted his arms and made muscles.

Hiccup shook his head, and then both man and elf burst out laughing.

"No, we do NOT share a bed," Kaldr laughed, shaking his head. "Thor above. But we will be sleeping in the same room. I had to share my room with a giant when I trained. Be thankful."

"Oh, I am thankful," Hiccup chuckled. "But you'd better not snore."

Uninhabited Isle, 2 miles North of Bog Burglar Island, Day 15 since Hiccup's Departure

Horns. Horns blowing.

Astrid slowly opened her eyes. Above her was the fluttering cloth of her tent, the dull blue color flapping in a steady breeze. Astrid's heart began to beat faster. Today was the day. Today was the day of battle.

Hurriedly she sat up in her cot, flinging her blankets aside. A quick look around her showed the inside of her tent. Her parents were gone, and there was a cooked fish over the fire, which was now just coals and ashes. Her armor was laid neatly to one side, and standing beside it was her little sister.

"Hi Astrid." Elaith smiled at her from the side of her cot.

"Hey Ellie." Astrid reached out and stroked her sister's hair affectionately. "Where are mom and dad?"

"They went out to follow the horns," Elaith said. "The big men in charge are calling the fighters. That's why the horns are making noise."

"Why didn't they wake me up?" Astrid sighed, twisting her legs around and sitting up.

"Daddy said he thought you needed the rest."

Astrid groaned, and then looked down to her side. Slowly she pulled away the cloth which served as a bandage for her arrow wound. The injury looked great. It was almost healed. She looked back at Elaith, and her little sister was there, holding her shoulderplates out to her with a smile.

"Thanks, Ellie," Astrid smiled, rewrapping her side. "But wait – I'm not going to need those today."

Elaith looked confused. "What? You're going to fight, aren't you?"

"Yes." Astrid stood up and walked over to the fire, picking up the cooked fish that lay there. "But not in my armor." She looked over at her little sister. "Ruffnut and I are going to disguise ourselves as each other today, Ellie. She'll be wearing that."

"Ohh," Elaith said, setting down the armor. "That'll be funny! But Astrid, why?"

"Don't worry about it," Astrid smiled, taking a giant bite of fish. "It's complicated."

Elaith shrugged. "OK. Can I go to Gothi's now? Mommy said when you woke up I could leave."

Astrid nodded, her mouth full of food. "Yes, you can go. Make sure you don't cause Gothi any trouble."

Elaith smiled and came over to Astrid. She hugged her sister, burying her curls in Astrid's chest.

"Goodbye, Astrid," she said. "Make sure you fight good and – and don't get killed."

Astrid bent down and kissed Elaith's cheek. "Don't worry, dear," she smiled. "I don't plan on dying today."

Elaith giggled. "Daddy said the same thing when he left." She broke the hug and looked at Astrid with fearful big eyes. "Don't let mommy or daddy die either, Astrid."

"Don't worry, I won't," Astrid promised, kissing her sister again. "Now go to Gothi's. I'll be leaving soon."

"Good luck," Elaith said, and then with a final wave, she ducked out of the tent.

Astrid stared after her sister longingly for a second and then attacked her food again. In a few minutes she finished the entire fish and a mug of water. Then she rose. Where was Ruffnut?

Someone knocked on the tent post. "Astrid? Are you in there?"

It was Ruffnut.

"Come on in," Astrid called, and then Ruffnut Thorston, dressed in plain clothes, entered the tent with a bag of armor and weapons at her side.

"Hi, Astrid," Ruffnut grinned. "Here I am, as promised. I'm ready to switch places." She chuckled. "Even Tuffnut doesn't know. "Gods, this is going to be HILARIOUS, Astrid."

Astrid laughed. "It probably will be," she said. "But let's hurry up, Ruff, the army is already assembling. Give me your gear."

The two girls began to giggle and then to roar with laughter as they got dressed. Astrid tugged on a tight pair of ugly green/grey leggings and Ruffnut put on Astrid's black ones. Then Astrid tied on Ruffnut's sweaty, nasty boots while Ruffnut wowed over Astrid's well-made fur foot covers.

Then Ruffnut put on Astrid's skirt, complete with the skulls and spikes. Buckling in on, Ruffnut sighed.

"It doesn't fit right," she said ruefully.

Astrid grinned. "That's because I've got a bigger booty than you," she teased, as she strapped on Ruffnut's short skirt. "And Gods, Ruff, this thing is sooo short! You dress like a slut!"

"Oh, shut up," Ruffnut growled, as Astrid laughed. "I like to make the boys stare."

"Well they'll be staring even more today," Astrid chuckled. "They'll be like, 'hey, when did Ruffnut get such a nice ass?'"

Ruffnut shook her head and slid into Astrid's shirt. "Wow, I like this blue thing. But you've got bigger tits than me, too. No wonder Hiccup liked you so much."

"Hey!" Ruffnut dodged a slap from Astrid. "That's enough, Ruff."

Astrid squeezed into Ruffnut's shirt. "At least you're skinnier than me."

Ruffnut grinned. "I am skinny, but I'd like a little more weight. Gimme those shoulder armor. Gods, I've wanted to wear these for so long."

"Enjoy it while you can," Astrid said. "And wow, Ruff, you look a lot like me!"

Ruffnut and Astrid stared at each other, each one dressed as the other. They definitely looked believable, if not totally similar.

"Once we put on our helmets no one will be able to tell the difference," Ruffnut promised. "And I also need to put your hair in a ponytail and give you war paint. Me and Tuffnut always wear war paint."

Astrid nodded, and in a few more minutes both girls had adopted different hairstyles. Ruffnut had hers in a bundled ponytail, and Astrid had pigtails and some savage green, orange, and black war paint.

"Now we're pretty much ready," Astrid breathed, sliding her axe into its leather sheath and buckling onto her back. "Here's my backup axe, Ruffnut, you can carry that. It's sharp. I'll carry your spear."

Standing together, the two girls exchanged weapons, and then, looking at each other, donned their helmets.

Ruffnut and Astrid were now Astrid and Ruffnut.

"Wow." Ruffnut grinned, under Astrid's never-worn metal helmet. "You look a LOT like me."

"It's not perfect," Astrid said, "But unless you're really looking hard no one will be able to tell. It's funny that we're both wearing helmets with masks, but that can't be helped. Our faces are too easily recognizable."

"All right, Stormfly is outside," Ruffnut said. "I'll get to ride a fast dragon today. You'll have to walk to our tent, Tuffnut is there with Barf and Belch."

"All right then," Astrid agreed. "And Ruff, try not to talk too much. Our voices aren't similar, so keep it to a minimum."

"Don't worry, Astrid," Ruffnut assured her friend. "I'll be an even better you than you were."

Astrid hugged Ruffnut, gripping her own shoulderplates. "Don't die, loser," she grinned. "People might think it was me."

Ruffnut laughed. "I'm going to be back in the rear of the battle, shooting a bow and arrow," she replied. "You're the one who has a very high chance of dying, Astrid. Remember, don't let Camicazi make you mad, and just – just kick her ass!"

Astrid grinned. "I will."

With a flick of her wrist, Ruffnut snapped on Astrid's helmet and walked out of the tent.

Astrid stared down at Ruffnut's helmet in her hands. She could do this. She was going to do it.

Suddenly the tent flap opened, and Sven, Astrid's father, stepped in. He stared at her.

"Ruffnut? What are you going in my tent!?"

Astrid burst out laughing, the look her father's face was just too funny.

"I'm sorry, dad," she chuckled, taking off Ruffnut's helmet and tossing her pigtails. "It's me. Astrid."

"What in the name of?" Sven stared at her. "Astrid, what in Thor's name?!"

"I'm switching places with Ruffnut for this battle," Astrid stated.

Sven broke into a broad smile, but then grew serious. Very serious.

"Astrid," he said warningly. "You were ordered not to fight in the front lines today."

"I don't care," Astrid snapped.

"You're not fully healed," her father said sternly. "You shouldn't do this. Besides, if you're caught, you can be severely punished for defying orders. You know how serious that is."

"I do." Astrid stepped forward. "Look dad, I know what I'm doing. I NEED to get in there and kill Camicazi, and I can't do that unless I'm in the front lines, disguised."

Astrid's father gazed fondly at his daughter.

"I understand, Astrid," he said. "I know you want to get revenge for what happened to Hiccup. So would I, if someone killed the one I love. But that's why I don't want you to do this." Sven placed a firm hand on Astrid's shoulder. "It'll be dangerous, Astrid. Camicazi is a great fighter, and she almost killed you last time. You'll be hurt and in the front lines. I know you lost Hiccup, but Astrid," Sven looked at his daughter, "I can't lose you."

Astrid embraced her father, making sure not to get war paint on his armor. "I'm not going to die, dad," she murmured into his chest. "You'll see. I'll come out of it all safe and sound, hopefully carrying Camicazi's head with me."

Sven kissed Astrid on the top of the head. "Make sure you do that."

Astrid released her father and stepped back. "Hey, I'm a Hofferson," she grinned. "We don't lose."

Sven laughed. "That we don't."

Astrid pushed her ponytails back and put her helmet on. "Good luck today, dad. You stay safe, too."

"Hoffersons don't lose," Sven replied. "Don't worry about me, Astrid. Did Elaith go to Gothi's?"

"Yes," Astrid said. "She left. She told me to make sure you and mommy came back safely."

"Well I'll try not to disappoint her," Sven answered. "I love you, Astrid. May your axe swing true."

Astrid nodded, and, picking up Ruffnut's spear, left the tent, walking towards the Thorston's tent.

The camp was a giant bustle. Dragons were getting armored, and people were running all over. Fires were being doused and quivers of arrows were being loaded onto the backs of dragons. They were flying to the Bog in less than half an hour.

Astrid tried to imitate Ruffnut's walk as she strutted through the camp, but she kept finding herself glancing down at her apparel, making sure it was all in order. And Ruffnut's skirt was really short.

Swinging through, she arrived at the green tent that was the Twins'. Tuffnut was there, and once again Astrid had to blink at how ferocious the blonde Viking looked. With war paint on his face and three spears buckled to his back, he looked very dangerous.

"Hey, Ruff!" he called, coming out to pat Belch on the neck. "What took you so long?"

Astrid took a deep breath and said her first words as Ruffnut. She tried to imitate the voice and hoped that the helmet would muffle her voice enough.

"I was just talking to Astrid, dummy."

Tuffnut didn't notice. He went on up to the saddle. "Too bad that Astrid got stuffed in the back of the army," he said. "I'm surprised she put up with that. She seemed really mad at Camicazi."

"Yeah, I'm surprised too," Astrid said, once more dreading that Tuffnut would notice.

"Oh well, that's not my problem." Tuffnut walked up to Astrid. "Look, sis, we've got to stick with Thug today. We're his right hand, we've gotta have his back. No goofing off, no doing the usual. OK?"

"Right," Astrid nodded.

"Then let's kick some ass!" Tuffnut suddenly grabbed Astrid by the collar and smashed a head butt into her helmet.

Astrid was stunned, and then angry, and then she remembered. The twins always head-butted each other like that. With a growl, she hammered Tuffnut with a head butt in return.

Tuffnut staggered backward and then blinked. He then stood up straight and gazed steadily at Astrid, his eyes narrowing.

"You're not Ruffnut!" He suddenly shouted. "Ruffnut doesn't head-butt like that."

Astrid gulped.

"And you're too big," Tuffnut said, looking Astrid over. "And taller. And hella sexier." He broke into a broad grin. "Astrid. You look good in that skirt."

Astrid wasted no time. People were all around and any of them might be listening. She grabbed Tuffnut by the scruff of his neck and yanked him after her, dragging him into the tent. Tuffnut yelped, but didn't resist.

As soon as the tent flaps closed behind them, Astrid released Tuffnut, then pulled off her helmet and glared. "All right, Tuffnut Thorston!" She strode up to the boy. "You caught me, all right! Now you listen up, I -"

"Look, look, chill out, Astrid," Tuffnut laughed, putting his hands up defensively. "I'm not going to tell on you or anything. Geez, am I stupid? No one tattles on Astrid Hofferson. I don't want an axe in my face." He laughed again. "Besides, it'll be a lot better having you by my side. Ruffnut can't fight at all."

Astrid frowned, but inwardly she relaxed. "I'm not going to be with you the whole battle, Tuffnut," she explained. "The only reason I'm doing this is because I want revenge. I'm going to drop off of Barf as soon as I can, go on the island, and fight Camicazi. I'm not going to be in the battle with you and Thuggory, I'll be gone."

Tuffnut nodded slowly. "I can do that, Strid. I can even make sure I drop you off in a good spot to get to Cami. But all right, Astrid, listen to me. What you're doing is completely NOT allowed. You could get in serious trouble, and since I'm helping you, I could get in serious trouble too. I don't want to get in any more serious trouble, trust me, I know what that is like. So, this conversation never happened. If you are going face the consequences of this, I will deny that helped you. This whole time I thought you were Ruffnut. OK?"

Astrid slowly nodded. "All right. I accept the full responsibility, and I won't be blaming you, Tuff. Don't worry about that."

"Good." Tuffnut gave her a serious look. "But honestly, Astrid, I don't think you'll be around to blame anybody. If you decide to jump off in the middle of Bog Burglar Island just to fight Cami, then you won't have any help and you'll be alone in enemy lines. You're probably going to – to die."

Astrid gazed levelly at Tuffnut. "I'm not going to die." She said firmly.

"If you say so, Strid." Tuffnut put out his hand. "Well, I feel bad for doing this, but I will let you go and try it. Good luck, Astrid."

Astrid took Tuffnut's hand the two Vikings shook firmly. Then, impulsively, Astrid tugged Tuffnut into a rough hug. "Thanks a lot, Tuff," she said.

She released Tuffnut and he looked at her steadily. "I – I loved Hiccup too, Astrid," he said quietly, lowering his eyes. "Not in the same way you did, but I loved him, you know, as a brother. I want revenge too." He looked up. "Give Camicazi hell for me."

Astrid smiled. "I will."

A horn blew, and Tuffnut gave Astrid a ferocious grin. "That's the call! It's time! It's time to fly to the Bog and wreck shit!" Tuffnut whooped and ducked out of the tent, running towards Barf and Belch.

Astrid remained for a second, then took a deep breath. Then she placed Ruffnut's helmet on her head and took up her spear. Then she followed Tuffnut, running out of the tent. With a spry leap, she jumped in Barf's neck, and Tuffnut shouted.

"Let's go!"

And the Zippleback took off, joining the giant sea of dragon riders as they flew to the Bog, and to war.


	26. BATTLE FOR THE BOG

Chapter 26: BATTLE FOR THE BOG

Bog Burglar Island, Day 15 since Hiccup's Departure.

Camicazi, heiress to the Bog, paced nervously down the rows of soldiers, all neatly lined up on the edge of the battlements. The helmets and spears of her tribeswomen, the Bog Burglars, were glowing steadily in the waning moonlight. It was almost dawn.

The sight of her faithful soldiers was small comfort to her growing fear. With another careful glance at the lightening sky, she walked up to the newly made walls on the outskirts and, nodding at the two Boggie sentinels, sprung spryly up the wooden steps to the wall. The newly cut wood smelled fresh.

Chief Madguts the Murderous was leaning against the wooden spits, looking into the cloudy north with a spyglass. He noticed Camicazi but did not budge his gaze from the horizon.

Camicazi leaned on the wooden spits, staring out with him.

"The island is quiet," she said. "It's like we're all holding our breath. Where are they?"

Madguts swallowed. "It's called fear, Cami," he said slowly. "Great hosts the Berkians have. They will unload the wrath of a thousand years on this island when they arrive."

Camicazi took a deep breath, bending to look down from the wall. She saw the rocky outcrop and then the sea below, the waves crashing on the shore below. Camicazi spat slowly, watching her spittle drop the distance until it landed with a soft splat in the foamy water.

Footsteps sounded behind her, and a voice came.

"Cami."

Camicazi turned to look at the newcomer. It was a familiar face, her cousin, Hexi.

"Hey Hexi," she said, gripping her cousin's arm tightly. "What news?"

"All quiet from the northwest," Hexi stated, leaning on the ramparts with Camicazi. "But the stars have faded. The sun will soon rise."

"And when it does…" Camicazi took a deep breath. "All hell will break loose, if that message is to be believed."

"Cami – I – I'm afraid." Hexi looked at her cousin tenderly. "When I woke up this morning to get armored for battle, I just got this feeling, I – I -" She bit her lip. "I think I'm going to die today."

Camicazi spun on Hexi. "Don't say that!" She snapped. "You hear me?" Camicazi gripped Hexi's shoulder and leaned into her. "The Bog Burglars don't lose. We NEVER lose. Hundreds of years our island has stood here and guarded the mists of the Bog! It will not end today, and you will not die today! We win!" Camicazi pointed to the north. "When the hordes of dragon riders come from there, we will not be cowed! We will fight!"

Letting Hexi's arm go, Camicazi leaned once more on the edge of the wall, looking down and taking a few deep breaths. Madguts the Murderous glanced at her for a second and then returned to his spyglass.

"We never lose," Camicazi whispered, looking at the dark waves below.

"We never lose," Hexi echoed.

Camicazi then blinked. There was something blue and sparkly in in the water below. She gazed intently at it, and, as another wave struck it, it rolled onto the rocks, still glittering brightly. It was like a tiny blue diamond below her.

"What is that?" Camicazi muttered.

"What is what?" Hexi asked, but Camicazi was already hopping over the ramparts, clambering down the edge of the wall.

"Where are you going?" Hexi called after her, but Camicazi ignored it. Quickly, she scrambled down the wooden wall, down the rocks, and then landed adroitly on the rocky, sandy outcrop below. The blue object was still there, glittering on the rocks. As Camicazi approached it, another wave struck the rocks, washing the blue article into the sand, where it laid shining.

Camicazi reached down and picked the object up. Water and sand dripping from her hand, a chain clinked. A small chain.

Camicazi blinked, looking at the shiny item in her palm. It was a necklace with a blue Nadder scale on it.

Staring, Camicazi realized whose it was. Hiccup had worn it when he arrived on the island. She had been about to steal it while she was kissing him, but as soon as she touched the chain, he had pushed her away. Looking down at it, there was a face shimmering from the surface of the scale – a face she recognized.

"Astrid Hofferson," she muttered. "Hiccup's girl." Frowning, Camicazi tried to figure out why the scale was glowing. There was an eerie blue light coming from it for no apparent reason. Regardless, it must have fallen off of Hiccup when he was taken.

With one last look at the curious amulet, she hurriedly stuffed it in a side pocket of her tight black leggings.

"Cami!" Hexi called from above. "What are you doing? What was that?"

"Just something," Camicazi said back. "I'm coming up."

With a few more nimble hops, she expertly climbed back up the rocks and the wooden edge of the wall. Hexi reached down, grabbed her hand, and helped her back over the ramparts.

"What was that blue thing?" Hexi asked.

Camicazi reached into her pocket and pulled out the Nadder scale, the blue light shining.

"Whoa," Hexi breathed. Madguts raised an eyebrow and stole a glance over his shoulder at the two girls.

"This belonged to Hiccup," Camicazi commented. "It must have fallen off him when he was -" she glanced at Madguts – "killed."

"It's beautiful," Hexi marveled, turning over the scale and chain in her hand. "Who is the girl?"

"She was Hiccup's girl. Astrid Hofferson. She was here during the dragon raid."

Hexi handed the scale back to Camicazi, but Camicazi shook her head. "Take it back to my room, Hexi. Put it in the bag of fake coins next to Hiccup's helmet on the shelf in there. It may be useful later."

"All right." Hexi stuck the scale in her pocket.

"And don't steal anything while you're in there!" Camicazi grinned.

"Come on, I'm a Boggie!" Hexi giggled. "When did I ever steal anything?"

The two girls shared a laugh, then Hexi saluted Camicazi mockingly and left, hopping down the wooden steps before running towards Camicazi's house.

Sighing, Camicazi picked up her own scope and peered into the north. Madguts the Murderous had not budged since she had been up on the wall. He was still looking into the distance as intently as a hawk.

There was nothing. Camicazi scanned the sky, seeing naught but clear glowing sky as the sun was about to rise in the east. Turning her scope, Camicazi looked to the defenses in the southern half of the island. Her mother, Big Boobied Bertha, was giving instructions to the archers from the Boggies and the Murderous tribe.

She swung to the west. There was Dagur the Deranged, with his band of Berserkers. They were in charge of the bolas and nets – Dagur had insisted that he be given control of the dragon-killing machines.

Finally, she looked to the east. There was Alvin the Treacherous and his second-in-command Savage, in control of the ground forces. If the Berkians landed, Alvin and his Outcasts would deal with them. They were also to dispatch any injured or downed dragons.

Camicazi lowered the scope and took another deep breath. It was almost dawn.

"The sun is rising," Madguts the Murderous muttered, and then, as if to corroborate him, a cock crowed in the village. Six hundred pairs of eyes went to the north, and the first rays of sun shot over the trees on the eastern horizon.

Camicazi stared into the north. There was nothing. Still nothing.

Then the sun vanished, and darkness fell on the island once more.

Gasping, Camicazi whirled around, and then Madguts the Murderous swore. He finally moved, and this time he turned his gaze to the east. He gripped Camicazi's shoulder, hand as strong as a vise.

"Look!" He cried.

Camicazi stared at the sun on the horizon. It was blocked by a mass of tiny blips, one after the other, stretching for a great distance across the sky. Berk was here. The dragons had arrived.

Astrid's breathing was warm against the inside of Ruffnut's helmet. She still was not used to a helmet while flying, and she also hated how thin Barf's neck was. Flying the Zippleback was a difficult task.

Looking to her right, she saw Tuffnut, his fierce helmet covering his face and his blonde hair billowing out from behind it. Behind them the sun glinted off his spear. It was dawn.

"Bog Burglar Island in sight!" Thuggory called, who was leading the pack. His strong voice echoed through the ranks of dragon riders.

"We're there!" Fishlegs shouted, and a giant rumbling went through the dragon army, the soldiers muttering and the dragons growling. It was time. Time for battle.

Fishlegs turned and flew closer to Thuggory, and Astrid stretched Barf's neck out to them to hear the words.

"I'm going to parley with them," Fishlegs stated. "We'll enter the island under a flag of truce, with the army out of range. I need all the chieftains and a couple of soldiers as escorts."

Thuggory aimed a thumb at his wingman Tuffnut. "Tuff and his sister can be the guards," he said. "Round up the chiefs. We'll be at the island in a few minutes, so you'd better wave that white banner."

"Yes." Fishlegs stood up on Meatlug and shouted back to the army. "Attention! The chieftains and I are going to parley with the Bog Burglars! The army needs to stay back out of range while we do so!"

Tuffnut leaned over to Astrid and whispered fiercely in her ear. "You're going to be a guard, Astrid. Camicazi will be there. I swear to Loki, if you do anything stupid, like attacking Camicazi under the flag of truce, I will gut you!"

He didn't wait for a response, and Belch's head moved away. Barf looked up questioningly at Astrid.

"He's right, Barf," Astrid muttered, rubbing the scales between Barf's horns. "If I kill Camicazi during a parley, they'll kill all the chieftains. I can't do that."

Astrid took a deep breath.

"Chieftains of the Dragon Alliance! With me!" Stoick the Vast thundered, and the dragons carrying all the chieftains, chieftesses, and heirs moved forward. Digging her heels into Barf and Belch, Astrid propelled the Zippleback forward, following the group.

"The Bog Burglars have no honor," Mogadon the Meathead said aloud, to the entire group. "It is dangerous to go onto their island, even under a flag of truce. They killed Hiccup in cold blood and they will do the same to us."

"Not so," Chief Elcroy replied. His silver raven crest of Bashem Island glittered in the sun. "The Bog Burglars may have no honor, but they will not risk betraying the trust of every tribe in the archipelago, particularly the ones they have sided with."

"I'm not too sure their allies have any honor either," Fishlegs mused. "I mean, the Outcasts, the Berserkers, and the Murderers? That doesn't exactly sound like a noble batch of fiends."

"Regardless, we should risk it," Stoick asserted. "I MUST know what Big Boobied Bertha has to say about her – her killing my son. I cannot believe it until I hear it from her own mouth. She was not that kind of woman, I do not understand."

"There is a lot we don't understand," Thuggory agreed. "So let's find out."

Down on the shore, Camicazi took a deep breath as she looked at the sky. There were the seven dragons that held the commanders of their enemies. Above them flew a giant white flag.

Madguts the Murderous sighed and put his spyglass in his pocket. "Come, Cami," he said. "It's time to talk about how this war is going to happen."

Astrid's footsteps thudded on the wooden floor as she strode alongside the group of Viking royalty that represented the Dragon Alliance. They were walking through the Great Hall, approaching a large table at which sat Big Boobied Bertha, chief of the Bog Burglars, Madguts the Murderous, Alvin the Treacherous, Dagur the Deranged, and…. Camicazi. Astrid's grip tightened on her spear. Camicazi didn't seem injured from the dragon raid several nights ago. She looked alive, well, and deadly.

Stoick the Vast boomed up to the table, pulled up the chair across from Big Boobied Bertha, and sat unceremoniously. The chair creaked. With a quick, smooth movement, Chief Elcroy from Bashem Island took the seat to his left, and Chief Mogadon from the Meatheads took the right. Thuggory sat next to his father, and Bashhand, Chief Elcroy's wife, sat next to her husband. The last remaining Berkian was Fishlegs, and he went to the head of the table, where he pulled up a chair and sat. He was closest to the Camicazi.

Quickly, Astrid turned to stand guard next to him, the hem of her short skirt brushing his chair. She tapped the butt of her spear on the floor with a dull thud. She was so close. Camicazi was only four feet away from her, and she could skewer her with the spear in two seconds. But the white banner was flying.

Stoick broke the tense silence.

"It's been a very long time, Bertha," he said softly. "Last I saw you, you were young and powerful, and your daughter was only a babe." He glanced at Camicazi, then back to Bertha. "But you have not grown wise with age."

Big Boobied Bertha bit her lip.

"You KILLED MY SON!" Stoick thundered, leaping to his feet. "YOU! YOU AND THAT FILTHY DAUGHTER OF YOURS! WE HAD YOUR BOND, YOUR WORD OF HONOR, THAT NO HARM WOULD COME TO HIM! HE WAS GOING TO HELP YOU! HE WAS STRONG, HE WAS YOUNG, HE WAS GOOD, AND YOU KILLED HIM!"

Camicazi flinched.

Stoick, breathing hard, sat down. "You cannot undo that, Bertha. You have taken everything from me, and I will take everything from you. We are here to talk terms of surrender, but those terms, no matter what they are, will not allow you and your daughter to escape with your lives, I can promise you that."

Big Boobied Bertha still said nothing, and the silence was beginning to look ill on the Bog Burglars.

"There won't be any terms of surrender," Camicazi smiled, leaning forward mockingly. "The only surrender that will be happening here is when you are begging for your life on your knees, Stoick the Vast."

Astrid gritted her teeth. She wanted to kill Camicazi so badly. Stoick was speechless with rage.

"That's what Hiccup did, you know." Camicazi smirked. "It was pitiful. The great dragon master, on his knees before me, pleading. You know what he said to me?" Camicazi leaned forward. "He said, 'Don't kill me, Cami. Please. Don't do it. Don't do it!'"

Astrid was trembling. In another two seconds she would have rammed her spear through Camicazi's face then and there. Stoick the Vast looked like he was about to grab the table and smash it over Camicazi's head. But then Fishlegs, sitting next to her, leaned forward and spoke.

"We did not come to trade insults, Camicazi," he said calmly. "Let us speak rationally."

"And just who are you to speak at a council of war?" Alvin the Treacherous snapped. "You fat chubby wanker, you're not royalty. Who are you?"

"His name is Fishlegs. Fishlegs Ingerman."

It was Camicazi. Her dark brown eyes were intent on Fishlegs.

Fishlegs blinked at Camicazi. "Just so," he said. "I am the battle general for Berk."

Fishlegs had all eyes on him now. He tapped his finger on the table.

"Your words were courageous, Camicazi of the Bog," he smiled. "But lies fall as easily from your lips as men fall in the face of dragons. You are not a fool, Camicazi, although you have acted the part. You know that you cannot win this battle."

Fishlegs gestured to the door. "Out there, three hundred dragon riders await my command to send you all to your doom. I have brought the greatest dragon army ever seen to your shores. Imagine the dragon raids you all used to defend against, how terrifying they were. Now imagine that with fifty times the dragons, with riders on their backs, and a strategist behind their movements."

Madguts the Murderous shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"It's impossible." Fishlegs grinned. "You put on a bold front, but I can see it in your eyes. You know it. You're all going to die."

There was a dead silence.

"However." Fishlegs straightened up. "There is no need for such destruction. Madguts, Alvin, Dagur, you are chiefs of great tribes. Why are you even here?" Fishlegs raised his hands. "The Bog Burglars lied to us! They promised us safe passage for Hiccup, and they broke their bond! Whatever promises they have made you will be impossible to trust. You have taken up arms against us. I say to you now, if you turn around, take your soldiers, and leave, we shall do nothing to stop you. You can go freely, without a fight, and shall keep your lives. What say you?"

There was silence for a moment, then Dagur the Deranged got to his feet.

"You are a sly bastard, Fishlegs Ingerman," he hissed. "But we Berserkers live by a code – the dragons must die!" He pointed to the door. "The dragons are out there! They are our enemies! They have always been our enemies! We must crush them, kill them, mangle them, and bathe in their blood! Nothing else will do! Isn't that right, Alvin?"

Alvin the Treacherous spread his hands. "We have always been the underdogs on Outcast Island," he said, rather calmly considering how he usually acted. "But this war will we our final time as such. Either we die and are gone forever, or we win and are powerful forever." Alvin shrugged. "I'll take that chance any day. Your offer merely lets us go back to our old ways, being nobodies and nothings. But if we win, glory and freedom will be ours." Alvin turned to look at Madguts.

Madguts the Murderous smiled darkly. "To win this war we need a force, an allied force," he stated. "At last, four powerful tribes are united against the dragons. Together, we stand dominant against our old enemy, and while you have us outmatched, this is the greatest chance we will have."

"You don't understand, do you?" Thuggory the Meathead slammed his fist on the table. "Madguts, I thought you were a rational chief! The dragons are no longer our enemies! They were being controlled by an evil Queen dragon. When Hiccup killed that dragon last year, the dragons were freed from that control. We don't have to fight them anymore! They are OUR allies." Thuggory opened his palm. "And with them we are unstoppable."

"With them as your allies, you side with the evil they are," Alvin argued. "The dragons are vile beasts."

"You know nothing, Alvin." Chief Elcroy of Bashem Island said calmly.

"Oh, Elcroy, MASTER of battle and a genius," Alvin the Treacherous scoffed. "What would you have to say?"

"That the dragons are like people." Chief Elcroy leaned forward. "They are JUST like us. I have seen, I have learned. The dragons have emotions, they have a soul, and they can communicate with us and one another. They are certainly not evil."

"No man has ever questioned your intelligence, Elcroy," Bertha stated. "But I'm not a man. I'm a woman, and I say you are a fool."

Alvin snickered. Bashhand, Elcroy's wife, bristled. However, Chief Elcroy just smiled.

"The world is changing, Bertha," he said. "We Vikings used to say, 'Only the strong can belong.' Now, it is 'Only the smart can belong.'" Chief Elcroy took his crossbow from his side and pointed it at Bertha.

The Bog Burglar guards tensed, and Chief Elcroy smiled. "Strong matters not when I have a bow in my hands," he said. "A child who is smart enough to build a crossbow can kill the strongest man alive. So it is brains that wins. We have the brains. You do not."

Elcroy lowered the crossbow, letting his point sink in. "In five hours you will all be ashes. Unless – you surrender."

"We will never surrender." Bertha got to her feet. "A hundred years the Bog has stood, and it will not fall."

Fishlegs shook his head sadly. "I'm disappointed in you, Bertha," he said. "And you, Camicazi." He looked directly at the blonde girl. "I can see you are smart – Cami. Look at me. Do you honestly believe that the dragons are evil?"

Astrid looked directly at Camicazi. Fishlegs had called her Cami for the first time. It was a name that only her friends used. Why was Fishlegs using it? However, Camicazi seemed affected by it. She opened her mouth, paused, then closed it again.

"The dragons are evil," she said, but her voice was not as powerful as it usually was.

Fishlegs peered intently at her. She was looking down, he brown eyes evading any contact. She refused to look at Fishlegs.

"Look at me," Fishlegs said quietly.

Camicazi looked at him, her beautiful brown eyes meeting his. There was silence for a few seconds.

"So be it." Fishlegs sat up straight. "We've given you all your chances, and we've been very generous with you considering the circumstances. Now comes the final question. Will you have surrender, or death?"

There was a moment of silence. Then Bertha rose to her feet, opened her mouth, and –

The door to the Great Hall burst open, and a Bog Burglar sprinted in.

"Chieftess!" She cried. "Sails! Sails to the south!"

All eyes went to Big Boobied Bertha. At once her expression changed from one of resigned hopelessness to one of savage triumph. Then she turned, looked at Stoick, and smiled.

Then horns blew – horns that Astrid had never heard before.

"We will never surrender." Big Boobied Bertha grinned. "You are all going to die."

Fishlegs leapt to his feet.

"So be it!" He cried. "We are at war! Dragon Alliance! To the army, quick! We attack immediately!"

Cursing, Astrid sprang to the side, running out the door directly behind the chieftains. Fishlegs, fat as he was, was in the lead. He threw open the door to the Great Hall and jumped out to the steps, staring to the south. Astrid was close behind. She landed next to Fishlegs and stared.

There, in the south, the horizon was matted with hundreds and hundreds of ships, stretching from end to end. White sails and purple banners flew over them. The horns sounded again.

Hysteria had arrived.

The feet of the Dragon Alliance royalty clattered on the docks, and Fishlegs whirled to the chiefs.

"We need to do as much damage as we can to this island before Hysteria gets here! With the wind at a ten degree angle and a 5-10 knot speed, they'll be here in about an hour! We need to destroy this island by then! Stoick, Mogadon, Bashhead, you have the attack. Give this island hell! And Elcroy!"

Chief Elcroy tore his gaze away from the ships in the south and nodded. "Yes, Legs?"

"I need you to take the Bashem Island riders and attack those ships! Delay them! You hear!?"

"Yes, General!" Elcroy sprang to his dragon, swinging spryly up to its back. "We're off!"

"To the dragons! To war! Battle! Battle!" Mogadon the Meathead roared. "Thuggory, get up in the air and lead the attack, son! Take Megadeath with you!"

"Yes father!" Thuggory obeyed, waving his hand to Furious. The Monstrous Nightmare, a flag of truce still attached to its back, sprang up to Thuggory, and he leapt onto its back. "Tuffnut!" He shouted. "With me! To the army!"

Astrid was doing some fast thinking. The island was currently abuzz with activity, and not much attention was being given to them, as they were taking off from the docks. Looking around, Astrid saw an alley to one side of the docks.

Tuffnut jumped on the Zippleback, tapping Belch. "Let's go!" he shouted at Astrid.

In a split second, Astrid made her bold decision. Patting Barf's neck, she swung down from the Zippleback and dropped to the docks.

"Astrid-Ruff!" Tuffnut yelled at her. "What are you doing!?"

Astrid looked up at Tuffnut. "I'm going to find Camicazi," she said. "I'm staying."

"But the battle hasn't started yet!" Tuffnut said, horrified. "They'll catch you and skin you alive!"

"They've got to catch me first." Astrid saluted Tuffnut. "Go, Tuffnut. See you later."

Tuffnut hesitated for one second, and seemed about to order Barf to pick Astrid up and fly off with her. But he didn't. Instead, he saluted, giving Astrid a nod.

"Godspeed – Milady," he said, and then snapped his visor over his face. Then, digging his heels into Belch's neck, the Zippleback roared and thundered off the docks, following Chief Elcroy and Bashhead.

Astrid stood rooted to the spot. Tuffnut had called her 'Milady.' That was Hiccup's phrase. Why had he used that title? What reason could he have had?

To remind her.

Astrid swallowed. Tuffnut was smarter than he seemed. He wanted to remind her why she was doing this. Why she needed to kill Camicazi.

"Thanks, Tuff," she whispered, watching his Zippleback fade in the distance. Then, realizing that she was now in grave danger, whirled to run.

And ran straight into Thuggory.

With a grunt and a thud, Astrid and Thuggory recoiled. Thuggory had been about to jump in Furious' saddle, and he was taken by surprise. Turning, the boy blinked.

"Ruffnut? What in Thor's name are you doing here?" He grabbed Astrid's arm. "Come on, we've got to go! Your brother just left."

"Let me go!" Astrid did not try to disguise her voice. She pushed Thuggory's arm off of her.

Thuggory stared. "What?" He said. "Are you crazy?"

"I'm leaving, let me go!" Astrid shouted, and turned to run.

"Ruffnut!" Thuggory shot out his hand and grabbed Astrid's collar. "What are you doing!?"

"Get off of me!" Astrid shook herself, trying to get Thuggory's hand off. Thuggory's hand slipped off her collar and grabbed the handle of her axe, hidden in its leather case. As Astrid tugged, the axe slid out, and Thuggory fell back on his bottom, holding the axe. Astrid, cursing, fell to one knee and then whirled.

Thuggory was staring at the axe in his hand. There was only one axe like it in the archipelago, and he knew who owned it.

"Astrid?" He gaped.

Astrid leapt forward and ripped the axe from his grasp. Thuggory, cursing, tried to get to his feet, but Astrid spun, kicked his legs out from under him, and then whirled and ran. She leapt off the dock and sprinted into the alley.

Thuggory scrambled to his feet, even as Furious stepped forward askingly. Thuggory glanced at the alley and then back to Furious. His big grey dragon was staring in confusion. Astrid vanished in the shadows.

"Thor dammit!" Thuggory cursed.

Just then Mogadon, Stoick, and Fishlegs ran up to the dragons.

"Thuggory, let's go!" Mogadon shouted. "To the army!" He sprang on his dragon, an oversized Gronkle.

"Curse you, Astrid," Thuggory muttered, scrambling up to Furious' back. Turning around, he undid the straps that held his wolf Killer to the saddle. Taking the wolf's ears in his hands, he bent his head down and leaned his head against Killer's, tugging fondly.

"Go after her, Killer," he whispered. "Keep her safe. Don't let her die. For me."

Killer growled softly, rumbling in his throat. Stoick, in the background, swung his massive body up to Skullcrusher, and Fishlegs hopped onto Meatlug.

"Go, boy." Thuggory gave Killer a final tug on the ears, and then Killer leapt off Furious, landing on the docks and then running into the alley after Astrid.

"Thuggory! Let's GOOO!" Stoick shouted, and then, with a pat on Furious' neck, Thuggory's Monstrous Nightmare spread his wings and thundered into the sky, leaving the docks, Killer, Astrid, and Bog Burglar Island behind.

Astrid darted through the unfamiliar houses and alleys, with thunder of Bog Burglar horns in her ears. Out of the corner of her eye she could see their massive dragon army circling in the east uncertainly. Looking up at them, she realized she was in a very bad position. Her goal was to kill Camicazi, and hopefully escape with her head still on her shoulders. Neither was an option at the moment, because she had no idea where Camicazi was, and if she did attack now, she would be slaughtered. She needed a place to hide until the battle was chaotic enough, which it most likely would, since the dragons were going to ravage the island. When the battle was chaos, then she could make her move.

Looking around, Astrid saw a building she recognized. The dungeons.

"Perfect," Astrid muttered aloud. "There won't be a soul in the dungeons at this point, the Boggies can't afford any of their own people in prison. So it'll be deserted. I can hide on top of the dungeons and look for Camicazi, and no one will see me."

Straightening up, she was about to sprint to the dungeons, but just then a group of five Outcast soldiers ran by. Astrid hurled herself behind a barrel of water and hid as the group hustled past.

Astrid bounded to her feet. She had to get there soon, or she would be captured. Darting across the open street, she reached the door to the dungeons. There was a bloodstain on the wood from where she had killed the Boggie guard some days earlier. There was also a giant burn on the doorframe, from where Stormfly had fired into the dungeons. It was funny to see them in a different light.

Astrid ignored them both, and hurled the door open, raising her spear. It was just as she had anticipated. The dungeons were empty.

Quickly, Astrid turned around and bolted the door from the inside. Now she was locked in the dungeons on Bog Burglar Island. It was rather ironic.

Astrid didn't go down the stairs to the dungeons, but instead she climbed up the ladder on her right. It led to the roof, and that was her destination. Reaching the trapdoor at the top, she flung it open, then scrambled onto the rooftop. At first she stood upright, but then immediately flung herself to her belly. She was very conspicuous standing up.

On her belly, she carefully shut the trapdoor. Then she belly crawled across the roof to the opposite side, where she carefully lifted her head and peered over the edge. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her spyglass and put it to her eye. She quickly scanned the island, looking at the mass of excited soldiers, from the Outcasts, the Murderous Tribe, the Berserkers, and the Bog Burglars. They were all bustling about, preparing for the battle, and at the same time Astrid could sense their relief and excitement. Hysteria was coming to their aid.

In the sky behind her, there was suddenly a great horn blast, and then a roar of dragons, so loud it shook the sky. Berk was attacking.

Astrid didn't see it or hear it, but a giant grey wolf suddenly sprang from the shadows near the dungeons and tried to push at the door. It failed, since the door was bolted. Growling, Killer spun, looked around, and then darted to nearby barrel of water, which he jumped into with a splash. Then he peered his shining eyes out from the edge of the barrel, waiting for the door to the dungeons to open.

Tuffnut Thorston was not the same boy he was two weeks ago. He realized this as he hurtled through the air on Belch, alongside Thuggory the Meathead. His life before had consisted of devilish pranks, raucous laughter, and getting drunk. However, it had all abruptly changed with one single solitary event; the death of Hiccup.

Tuffnut bit his lip as the wind howled in his ears. It wasn't until Astrid brought back the horrible news that Hiccup was dead that he realized how much he had respected, admired, and even – loved – the rising star of Berk. Tuffnut's hero wasn't the man who invented yakshit pies, it wasn't the prank God Loki, it was a boy, a young boy who had changed Tuffnut's life. Hiccup Haddock.

And that's who I'm avenging, Tuffnut told himself, as Thuggory lifted his sword and let out a thundering battle cry.That's why we're doing this. The Bog is going to pay for what they did.

Then there was a roar of command from the Bog, and hundreds of bows were drawn, bolas readied, and nets prepared. Tuffnut gripped his spear tightly and thumped his shield. They were close now, so close.

"FIRE!"

Tuffnut heard the shout from the island, and there was a massive roar of twangs as a gigantic sea of arrows, bolas, and nets came up from the ground, whistling in the wind.

"Steady!" Thuggory roared, as the black mass of missiles rose up to meet them, leveling out.

Tuffnut swallowed, watching the arrows hum towards them like hungry bees. Never had he done anything this stupid – fly directly into hundreds of arrows, each one capable of taking his life.

For Hiccup.

The projectiles were then upon them, and Tuffnut, gritting his teeth, raised his shield in front of him and prayed fervently.

There was a roar of air as the arrows whizzed all around Tuffnut. An avalanche of little thuds struck the outside of his shield, and one clipped his spear, jarring his hand. Another grazed his outer knee, cutting a thin groove down his leg. Barf and Belch let out a roar of pain.

The arrows ceased, and Tuffnut lowered his shield from his face in time to see a spinning net coming directly at him.

"Dodge, Belch!" He screamed, and his dragon, seeing the net, rolled downward. Tuffnut was almost thrown off the dragon, and the stone on one corner of the net smashed into Tuffnut's shield, ripping it from his grasp. Tuffnut yelled, and saw his shield, littered with arrows, fall into the sea below. A bola barely missed his head, and a second volley of arrows passed them by unscathed.

Tuffnut refocused and gripped Belch's horns. He turned around to look at his dragon. Belch had five arrows embedded in his chest armor, but it looked like the leather dragon chestguard had done its job. Tuffnut then gasped in horror as he looked further behind him.

Scores of dragons and riders were falling from the sky, with roars and shouts of pain and agony. Dragons caught in nets, arrows sticking out of their eyes, men and women with blood pouring from arrow wounds and bones smashed by bolas.

This is war.

Tuffnut whirled back to look ahead of him, and then realized in shock that only three dragons in the front had survived the first onslaught. The rest had flown higher, including Bashhand's elite force. Now there was only three dragons that were going to be the first to strike the island.

Thuggory on his dragon Furious, Sven Hofferson, and himself.

"Get ready!" Thuggory roared. The rocky crags of the Bog Burglar coastline passed beneath them. "Furious, attack! NOW!"

The three dragon riders swung over the island. With a terrifying roar, Furious reached the first tower, and, with a swipe of his foreleg, smashed three Bog Burglars off it. Sven Hofferson's Nadder let a roaring fireball loose into a crowd of Murderous soldiers, and Barf and Belch lit a house on fire.

The attack had begun.

Bashhand was stunned at the bold assault on the island, led by Thuggory and Furious. They hadn't even tried to avoid the massive volley that the Bog fired, they had flown right through it and started the battle. The move made Bashhand angry. Her group was the elite force. They should have been the first. Instead they had flown higher, to divebomb the village from above.

"Warriors!" Bashhand yelled. "With me! Dive! Attack!"

Tuffnut was doing some quick thinking, even as the battle was raging around him. Fires were everywhere, dead dragons and people littered the ground, and the air was thick with arrows, nets, and bolas. But Tuffnut wasn't worried about any of them. For some reason all he could think of was Astrid.

She was screwed. Her entire purpose in staying on the island was to kill Camicazi, but there was a myriad of problems with that. Camicazi was going to be constantly surrounded by her own soldiers. Unless Astrid was willing to give her own life, she was going to have to think of a very different way to kill Camicazi.

She had to get her alone, somewhere where she could duel Camicazi, kill her, and then Astrid could make her escape. Tuffnut blinked. There was only one place that Astrid could probably count on Camicazi going to alone – her own house.

Quickly, Tuffnut yelled to Bark and Belch.

"Higher! Fly higher! We need to find out which house is the Chieftess'!"

Barf and Belch obeyed, and Tuffnut closed his eyes the dragon soared through a giant cloud of smoke from a burning house. Opening them after the smoke had passed, Tuffnut had a good view of the main village.

He was looking for the fanciest house in the settlement, and that would be the one that belonged to the royalty. It didn't take him long to spot it. He tapped Belch, coughing from the smoke they had just flown through.

"Drop me off at that house, Belch!" He shouted. "Pick me up behind the village in twenty minutes! Now!"

Belch looked back at Tuffnut to see if he was serious. He saw that his rider was, and then he obeyed instantly, flying across the village and then dropping low, towards Camicazi's house.

Tuffnut slid off Belch's neck, and, with a final pat on his green dragon's neck, he dropped down to the roof below. His Zippleback soared overhead then flew high back into the mass of dragons attacking the village. From his high vantage point Tuffnut saw why no one was back near his end of the village. The ships from Hysteria were arriving at the docks, and all the Boggies and almost all the Berkians were there. Fishlegs was trying to stop Hysteria from landing, and the Boggies needed them to land.

Tuffnut turned his back and ran across the ridgepole of the roof to the chimney. During a dragon raid fires in houses were forbidden, so Tuffnut had no worries as he hopped up to the large stone opening and slid down.

Coughing, Tuffnut rolled out of the ashes and onto the wooden floor of Camicazi's house. Quickly he got to his feet, looking around him. The house was actually very small, with only a front door, a room with a fireplace and table, which is what he was in, and then, in the back, was a small hallway with two doors in it. One, Tuffnut assumed, was Camicazi's room, and the other was her mother's. And if Astrid was here, she would have found Camicazi's room already. And she also would have heard him arrive.

"Astrid?!" Tuffnut called out, brushing soot from his clothes.

There was no answer.

"Hey, Astrid!" Still no reply.

"Astrid you in here?" Tuffnut called.

There was no response, and Tuffnut nodded. If she didn't reply to that, then she wasn't in here. Tuffnut walked up to the hallway and opened the door that had 'Cami' written on it. Pushing it open, he looked in at the room of the girl he hated the most.

His eyes scanned the area, and as they came to the shelves, he froze. There was something there that should not be.

Hiccup's helmet.

Tuffnut bit his lip angrily and strode forward, taking off his own helmet. Tossing the rusty steel headgear on Camicazi's bed, he went up to the shelf upon which Hiccup's fine, shiny helmet lay. Tuffnut sat on Camicazi's bed and glared at it for several seconds, his arms crossed. Then he reached out and touched the top of the helm, his fingers sliding across the smooth metal.

"You shouldn't have died, buddy," Tuffnut muttered, his hand shaking. "Loki curse it, you shouldn't have died! Just you wait, Hiccup, Astrid and Camicazi are sure to come here, and when they do we're going to cut your name into Camicazi's heart! She's going to pay for this, that blonde bitch!"

"Oh, am I?" A voice came from the doorway, and Tuffnut whirled.

There was Camicazi, standing tall and fierce in the door, her hands on her hips. Her stance was wide, and her skin tight leggings were bloody on one side. There were four Bog Burglars with her.

Tuffnut gripped his spear. "Camicazi," he grinned. "How kind of you to join me."

"Kind of me?" Camicazi laughed. "Trust me, I'm not very kind. This meeting won't be enjoyable for you."

Tuffnut bit his lip as his grinned wider.

"We can make it enjoyable if you want," he said seductively, sliding his leg up on Camicazi's mattress. "I'm willing if you are, honey."

One of the Bog Burglar soldiers stifled a laugh.

"I don't think I know your name," Camicazi replied, grinning almost amusedly as she stepped into the room, followed by her four companions. "And I also don't think anyone will remember it after today."

"Legends never die," Tuffnut laughed, sliding his leg off the bed and standing up. "It's me, Tuffnut Thorston, the Chicken Destroyer."

Camicazi laughed, drawing one of her curved swords with a ring. "Chicken Destroyer, huh? What a lovely title, you must be a FEARSOME warrior. Look at your pretty little face, all those bruises. Who gave you that ass-kicking?"

Tuffnut's smile never faded. "I took this beating for Hiccup. And yes, I am the Chicken Destroyer. When I kill you right here and now, then we can change it to the bitchy chicken destroyer."

Camicazi blinked, and her smile faded.

"You're surrounded by FIVE Bog Burglars, you fool. How are you still grinning?"

Tuffnut's smile got bigger. "Maybe my dragon is on the roof right now, ready to blast this house to the ground."

Immediately all of the Bog Burglars eyes went up to the ceiling, and as soon as they did, Tuffnut struck. He hurled his spear at Camicazi. However, he was never a good spear thrower, and it missed, instead smashing into the face of one of the Boggies behind her. Before Camicazi knew what was happening, Tuffnut leapt to the shelf and grabbed Hiccup's helmet and Hiccup's bag, full of fake coins.

"Get him!" Camicazi yelled, and sprang forward. Tuffnut, whirling, jumped on Camicazi's bed and dove for the window. Camicazi's sword sliced his heel as he jumped, and he yelped before landing hard on the hill behind Camicazi's house and rolling.

"After him, Hexi!" Camicazi yelled to two of her Bog Burglar companions. Immediately the two turned to go for the door, and then suddenly stopped. There, standing in the doorway, was Ruffnut Thorston.

Camicazi stared and then laughed. "Your precious brother fled," she grinned. She nodded to Hexi.

"Kill her."

Hexi and another Boggie grabbed their swords and jumped at Ruffnut, over the dead Bog soldier that Tuffnut had killed. Camicazi expected the foolish blonde girl to turn and run, but she didn't. Instead her hand flashed behind her back and out came an axe… an axe Camicazi recognized.

"Hexi, look out!" She screamed.

It was too late. With a quick move Ruffnut rammed her spear through the throat of the first Bog Burglar, then spun under Hexi's blade and slammed the axe into Hexi's stomach.

"NOOOO!" Camicazi screamed, even as Ruffnut tore the axe out of Hexi. Camicazi's cousin, her face pale, crumpled to the floor, blood pouring from her wound. The other Bog Burglar was also collapsing, the spear in her throat causing her to gurgle as she tried desperately to breathe.

Then Ruffnut reached up, grabbed the edge of her helmet, and flipped it off. Of course, it wasn't Ruffnut. The axe had given it away. Standing before Camicazi was Astrid Hofferson.

"I've come for you, Camicazi," Astrid snarled.

With a cry of rage, Camicazi's last companion leapt forward to attack Astrid. The Bog Burglar was prepared this time, and with a few twists of her sword, battered Astrid back through the doorway. The noise of their duel clattered in the halls.

Camicazi leapt to Hexi's side, dropping her sword on the wooden floor as she gazed down at her fallen kin. Hexi was taking deep, ragged breaths, and blood was streaming from her deep axe wound in the lower stomach.

"I – I'm sorry, Cami," Hexi said brokenly, blood trickling from her lips. "I should have been careful, I should have listened, I – I'm sorry. I have failed you."

"No, Hexi!" Camicazi leaned down to her cousin, gripping her hand. "You fought bravely. You have won. Valhalla will welcome you."

Camicazi slid her hand down to Hexi's wound, and she inwardly flinched as she felt the damage. The injury was mortal, but it would take Hexi a long time to die. It would also be painful.

"I – I knew I would die today," Hexi whispered, her face white with pain. "I just knew it, deep down – Cami, don't let the Bog fall."

A gurgling scream came from the hallway, and a sword clattered to the floor. Astrid had just killed Camicazi's last Bog Burglar companion. Cursing, Camicazi looked up and saw Astrid walk to the doorway once more. She stood in the entrance, looking down furiously at Camicazi, her axe in her hand. However, when she saw Camicazi kneeling over her dying cousin, her face softened slightly, and she lowered her axe.

Camicazi looked back at Hexi.

"I have to go," she whispered, and Astrid, standing in the doorway, heard. "I have to fight. I love you, Hexi." Then, silently, Camicazi reached for the knife in her boot, drawing the steel quietly.

"Don't die," Hexi smiled. "I don't want to see you in Valhalla just yet."

"I won't," Camicazi smiled. Then, stealthily and quietly, she slid her knife into the wound already in Hexi's stomach. Expertly she felt the tip pierce Hexi's internal organs. Hexi would now die quickly, and she didn't even notice.

"Goodbye, Cami," Hexi gasped, and then passed away.

Camicazi swallowed. "Be at peace, cousin," she whispered, and kissed Hexi tenderly on the forehead. Reaching up, she closed Hexi's eyes.

"I will avenge you," she snarled, and then turned to Astrid, picking up her sword.

Astrid raised her axe again. She had been moved by Camicazi's emotion during the death of her cousin. For some reason she thought Camicazi was a heartless demon, incapable of feeling any sorrow or care. But now she saw that Camicazi had a good side to her, a side that wasn't so evil after all. But she killed Hiccup, and that was all that mattered.

Camicazi stood up, wiping a tear from her eye with her hand, which still held the bloody knife she had used to finish Hexi. Astrid suddenly stared at it.

As soon as Astrid saw the knife in Camicazi's hand, she realized that she had seen it before. She had seen it used, seen it bloodied like it was now. But where?

Then she remembered. It was during the raid on the Bog. It had been used to stab a Bog Burglar's eye, the one in the dungeons. Where had Camicazi gotten it from?

No matter. She had probably stolen it.

"I'm going to kill you for this," Camcazi said quietly, her face white with rage. "You bitch. That was my cousin. You killed her."

"You killed Hiccup." Astrid was shaking with fury. "You stand here and accuse ME of killing someone? At least I had the right! This is war now! And do you know why? Because of Hiccup! Because YOU KILLED HICCUP! Hiccup was mine! Hiccup was the greatest Viking to ever walk the earth! He was like a God! And you murdered him in cold blood! That's what started this mess, Camicazi! So no,Ididn't kill your cousin! YOU did!"

Camicazi let out a cry of rage and threw the knife at Astrid. With a quick flick of her axe, Astrid knocked the blade to the ground. Then Camicazi was jumping at her, her two curved swords in hand.

Astrid was furious. She was enraged, savage, and utterly determined. But she was also keeping her head. Last time she had lost her temper with Camicazi, and she had almost been killed. Bog Burglars were devious bastards, and Camicazi was a master of tricking her opponents. Hiccup had probably been too trusting.

Sparks flew as Astrid deflected the first wave of Camicazi's attack. Her two swords flew through the air like circular saws, so fast that the eye could barely see them. But Astrid was a fine fighter. Each one of Camicazi's attempts was deflected, blocked, or parried. However, Camicazi was beating Astrid backward to the door. Suddenly, as soon as Astrid was in the doorway, she spun her axe to one side and left her chest open.

With a shout of triumph Camicazi lunged at Astrid's chest. Astrid, a slight smile on her face, grabbed the door to Camicazi's room and slammed it shut, and Camicazi's sword buried itself in the wood, stabbing all the way through it.

Astrid then jerked the door open, and the movement wrenched Camicazi's sword out of her hand, pitching the Bog Burglar forward. Astrid whipped her axe up, but Camicazi regained her balance quickly and dodged the attack.

But she now only had one sword.

Fishlegs, saying a quick prayer to Odin, raised his head to look out across the choppy water south of Bog Burglar Island. It was just as bleak as he feared.

Hundreds and hundreds of Hysterian ships were coming, and although at least a couple score of them were in flames, there was nothing Chief Elcroy could do against the onslaught. He had about a third of the Dragon Alliance's total forces, and they were doing as much damage as they could. It was not enough, however. The prow of the flagship, its violet banners flying proudly, was only a minute away from landing at the docks, and as soon as it did, the battle would be over. The Dragon Alliance would have lost.

Fishlegs swallowed. He hated losing. Although he was a quiet, fat, gentle boy, he had the fierce Norse blood coursing through his veins. He was defeated, but he would not give in just yet. He was too stubborn.

With a snarl of determination, Fishlegs looked at the docks. He had ordered Thuggory and Bashhand's group of elite riders to get to the dock and hold it, but the Bog Burglars had anticipated that move and had set up an impenetrable defense on the timbers. They knew if they lost the docks, Hysteria couldn't land, and Hysteria landing was life and death for them.

He needed to get Thuggory and Bashhand out of there. As soon as the Hysterians landed, any dragons left at the docks would be cut down like reeds. Fishlegs waved his hand, and a Nadder swooped alongside him, bearing his next messenger.

Fishlegs frowned. It was Astrid Hofferson.

"Astrid," Fishlegs snapped. "I told you to stay at the back of the army."

Astrid replied, her voice muffled by her helmet. "I am the at the back of the army, Fishlegs."

Fishlegs whirled around in his saddle. She was right. He had no more army behind him. They were all either fighting, wounded, or dead.

"Dammit!" Fishlegs cursed. "All right, Astrid. I need to get Thuggory and Bashhand away from the docks. We've lost that battle. Send them to join the dragons pillaging the village. That's the only battle we'll be able to win before Hysteria starts to wreck us."

Astrid nodded, and Fishlegs looked at her quizzically. "Did you get that, Astrid?"

"Uhhh… can you repeat that please?" Astrid said again, and this time Fishlegs noticed something was wrong. Astrid never had to ask twice about something that important – and the voice didn't sound like Astrid. The rider was too skinny to be Astrid.

"Hey!" Fishlegs snapped. "Soldier! Take off your helmet!"

The rider hesitated. "Umm, I really -"

"Take it off!"

"Loki curse you, Legs," the rider muttered. She didn't take off her helmet.

Fishlegs was angry. "Loki? All right, take off the damn helmet,Ruffnut."

The rider gasped, and she wrenched off her helm. Sure enough, it was the lean, war-painted face of Ruffnut Thorston.

"For the love of Thor, I do NOT need this right now," Fishlegs groaned. "All right, Ruff! Where is Astrid!?"

Thuggory raised his sword and smashed a Murderous soldier off the tower as Furious thundered past, raking the island with flame. Blood spattered onto his leather Meathead armor, and he grimaced as a giant splash landed in his eyes. Blinking, he tapped Furious.

"Get higher! I need to see!"

With a roar of acknowledgement, Furious obeyed, spreading his wings and flapping above the battle. With a sigh of relief, Thuggory pulled off his steel helmet and wiped his eyes. Then he looked down and around him.

The island was in flames, but the Boggies were doing a fantastic job containing the fire. In fact, the whole village was beautifully organized. Almost all the Bog Burglars were in cover or on towers, shooting bolas, nets, and arrows from hidden places. The dragons were doing a stunning amount of damage, but they weren't killing enough people.

Horns blew. Swallowing, Thuggory looked down at the docks, where the Bog Burglars were now swarming, trying to hold the wooden planks at all costs. Blood was all over, and dragons sailed around it, circling the fierce fighting.

The ships.

Thuggory could only watch in helplessness as he saw the first of the Hysterian ships crash against the docks. As soon as the prow came to a halt, a giant, fierce looking man leapt over the edge, fearlessly ignoring the many arrows and fireballs that were striking all around him. He wore a regal and black and purple cape and wielded a double bladed axe, the biggest one Thuggory had ever seen in his life of battle. One side was black, and the other was white. It was the axe of fate. This man could be no other than the legendary Chief of the Hysterian Tribe, Norbert the Nutjob. He let out a roar of command, and dozens of Hysterian troops began to pour over the sides of his ship, even as three others landed at the docks.

"Fate is against us today," Thuggory sighed, plowing a bloody hand through his hair. "The battle is over, Furious. We've lost."

Suddenly there was a blast of air, and a Nadder flew up alongside Furious. Thuggory looked over at the rider. It was Sven Hofferson. Sven saluted Thuggory, panting heavily.

"They've taken the docks and held the western defenses," he cried, sweat dripping off his blonde hair. "The east is in flames, but there's not enough damage done. Hysteria will eat us alive."

"I know that!" Thuggory snapped. "We're going to retreat soon, but Fishlegs is maintaining the attack until the Hysterians start to get organized. That's what he said he would do."

They were interrupted by another blast of air as another dragon thundered alongside them. Thuggory glanced at it, then frowned. It was a Zippleback with only one rider.

"Where have you been, Tuff?" He shouted, as Barf and Belch settled in next to Furious. "You vanished!"

"The battle separated us," Tuffnut groaned, reaching down to pat his heel tenderly. "It's kinda chaotic, war is."

Sven Hofferson had been staring at Tuffnut, and he finally opened his mouth. When he did his voice was hoarse.

"The – the rider who was with you," he said. "Where is she?"

"Oh – right – Sven Hofferson." Tuffnut cleared his throat. "Thuggory, Sven, did either of you know that Astrid is roaming loose on this island, looking for Camicazi?"

"I do know that," Thuggory said, his eyebrows raised. "She was disguised as your sister, Tuff. Are you telling me Astrid rode the same dragon as you, pretending she was Ruffnut, and you didn't notice?"

Tuffnut looked down. "No," he said. "I knew it was Astrid. But I had to let her do it."

"Thor dammit," Thuggory groaned.

"What about her? Did you see her?" Sven Hofferson asked breathlessly.

"No, but I tried to find her," Tuffnut replied. "I went to Camicazi's house, thinking that's where Astrid would lie in ambush. When I got there Camicazi ambushed ME and I almost died. I have no idea where Astrid is now."

"She's probably dead," Thuggory snorted. "I sent Killer after her. Thor dammit, I don't know why I did, I just – wanted to protect her. But it might cost me my wolf friend." Thuggory bit his lip.

Sven looked at Thuggory strangely. "Odd thing that you care so much about Astrid," he commented, a little hint in his tone.

Thuggory looked steadily at Sven. "I care about all my soldiers," he said stiffly.

"Erm - anyway." Tuffnut cleared his throat. "What do you propose we do? The battle is lost, and at this point the most good we can do is burn shit, so why don't we do that and look for Astrid at the same time?"

Thuggory shrugged. "That's as good a plan as any. Are you in, Sven?"

"Of course." Sven nodded. "That's my daughter down there."

"Did you know about it?" Thuggory demanded.

"Yes, I did," Sven sighed. "And I let her do it."

Thuggory shook his head in disgust. "I can't believe you two knew about this, told no one, and I sent my wolf in to get killed because of it," he snapped. "If Killer dies I might have you both horsewhipped for disregarding orders."

"Then have it done," Sven said stiffly. "This is not the time for such a debate, we have a battle to fight. Where shall we go first?"

"To Camicazi's house," Thuggory decreed. "That was the last known place she was in."

"Very well. Let's go!"

The three dragons turned right simultaneously, and just as they did, a Murderous soldier released an arrow from a tower, straight at Thuggory. Thuggory's dragon was turning the other way and couldn't see it, but Tuffnut did.

"Thuggory, watch out!" Tuffnut yelled, and leaned over, reaching out his hand in a desperate attempt to stop the arrow before it hit Thuggory in the face. If only he could catch it.

Thuggory turned and stared as he saw the arrow whizzing at his face. He had no time to block it, it was too late. Just as it was about to hit him full in the eye, the arrow smashed into Tuffnut's hand, blood spraying.

Thuggory recoiled as the arrow stopped a mere foot in front of his face, and Tuffnut howled. As the dragons turned, Tuffnut was doubled over in his saddle, clutching his left wrist with his right hand. The long black shaft had pierced directly through the center of his left hand. Blood was everywhere, and his snapped finger tendons were visible.

"Tuffnut!" Thuggory shouted. "Are you alright?"

"Gods!" Tuffnut groaned. "My hand! Right through my hand!"

"Tuffnut!" Thuggory waved at Barf and Belch. "Barf-n-Belch, take Tuffnut back to our lines! Get him out of the battle!"

"No!" Tuffnut shouted, clutching at the arrow stuck in his hand. "I wanna fight!"

"You've fought enough. You're done, that's an order," Thuggory commanded. "A true wingman indeed. Go get that arrow out of your hand, you can't even fight like that."

"I can take it out now!" Tuffnut argued, and, with a cry, broke off the tip of the bolt. Then with a howl, he yanked the arrow out of his hand, blood spraying everywhere.

"Thor dammit Tuff! You're going to be useless with that hand!" Thuggory pointed, as Tuffnut doubled over. "Out of the battle! Now!"

Tuffnut shook his head stubbornly, holding his mangled hand, but Barf and Belch looked at each other and flew away.

"Hey!" Tuffnut shouted. "Get back there! Loki curse you, you enlarged reptile! I wanna stay, I'm going to stay!"

His voice faded as the green Zippleback, ignoring his pleas, sailed up into the sky and turned North, away from the fighting.

"Could have been a lot worse," Sven Hofferson told Thuggory, as their dragons zoomed over the village to Camicazi's house.

"As if I don't know it," Thuggory replied. "That was inches away from my face, Sven. I almost died."

"Death is going to be a common theme around here," Sven grunted. "And if we don't hurry and find my daughter, she'll become part of the common folk."

"Aye, she will," Thuggory scowled. "All right, off we go!"

"Which house is Camicazi's!?" Sven yelled, as he raised his shield to block a flying arrow.

"Over there!" Thuggory pointed. "I visited this island when I was younger!"

Darting through the skies above the village, dodging bolas and arrows, Sven and Thuggory came closer and closer to Camicazi's house. As they did so, they saw an interesting sight. Thuggory yelled.

Standing outside Camicazi's front door was Thuggory's wolf Killer, accompanied by a Meathead soldier. Killer was holding down a Bog Burglar, while the Meathead soldier was fending off a pair of Murderous troops.

Sven and Thuggory wasted no time. With a blast, Sven's Nadder sent a roaring fireball at the two Murderous soldiers. One ducked, but the fireball struck the other one directly in the chest, and he flew away screaming, disintegrating into ashes. With a flick of his large tail, Furious rammed the other soldier in the belly, and he crumpled like a rag doll. Then, quick as lightning, Thuggory and Sven leapt off their dragons. Sven pounced on the struggling Murderous soldier who Killer was pinning, and yanked his war hammer from his belt.

"No, don't, please!" The Murderous soldier screamed, right before Sven's hammer crashed onto his face. Blood sprayed, and Killer turned away, the warm red fluid matting his grey fur.

"Killer! Where is Astrid?" Thuggory barked at his wolf. "Where is she?"

The Meathead boy dropped on one knee to catch his breath, and Sven sheathed his war hammer. Meanwhile Killer turned and bolted in the door. Sven Hofferson leapt after him. Thuggory gripped the Meathead boy's shoulder. "How are you, Eric? I thought you were with Bashhand's group."

"I was," Eric answered. "My dragon got shot down over the western part of the village. He – he's dead. I tried to escape to the edge of the trees, but then I saw Killer hiding in a barrel of water. Gods, I was shocked! Then he all of a sudden leapt out and took off running, so I followed him. He led me here, and I had to fight for my life."

Thuggory nodded. "Good job. I'm very sorry about your dragon. Killer was tracking a Berkian soldier."

The Meathead boy was about to comment, but then there was a shout from inside the house.

"Thuggory! I've found a trapdoor! Astrid went this way!"

"Great! We're coming with you!" Thuggory shouted back, and then turned to the two dragons who had carried them there.

"You two are dismissed," he ordered. "Attack the village and pick us up at the tree line behind the Great Hall when the army retreats. You understand? Go!"

Dirt sprayed as the two dragons' talons tore through the dirt and they launched into the sky. Thuggory turned to go into the door, then stopped. Three Murderous soldiers came racing around the corner, swords drawn. They had seen the dragons and come to attack.

"Shit." Thuggory groaned, grabbing at his sword. "Killer!"

The three soldiers pounced on him, and Thuggory's sword smashed into theirs as he fought. Then, with a ferocious roar, Killer sprung through the door. He landed heavily on one of the Murderous soldier's back, his teeth tearing at the back of the soldier's neck. The soldier's screams as he tried to throw Killer off was drowned out in the clash of steel as Thuggory battled the other two men. Above them, in the sky, the battle raged on.

Camicazi darted through the tunnels, almost at inhuman speed.

Astrid was cursing with every step she took. She was beating Camicazi, and somehow the Boggie heiress had opened a trapdoor in the floor of her house and was now darting underground. She could be leading Astrid into an ambush. But, in Astrid's favor, Camicazi was on the run. A running enemy meant a beaten one.

The tunnel was lit by a few torches that were mounted on the walls, and as Astrid sprinted past one, she wrenched it from its hold and flung it down the tunnel at Camicazi. It hit Camicazi in the back of the neck, and she cried out in pain, stumbling. A few strands of her hair caught on fire. Astrid gained.

Suddenly the tunnel sloped upward, and Astrid realized that it was about to emerge from the ground. No doubt Camicazi was leading her into a trap, but it was too late. Camicazi kicked open a door at the top of the tunnel, and Astrid, right behind her, jumped out. The two girls fell to the ground with a crash.

Quickly they both scrambled to their feet, and Astrid suddenly noticed where she had been lead to.

The Bog Burglar Great Hall.

About ten Bog Burglars were standing guard, and as they turned to see the cause of the noise, they saw their Princess and also an enemy. With shouts they drew their weapons and ran towards Astrid.

Astrid, cursing, turned to the tunnel, but Camicazi slammed the door shut.

"Too late now, Hofferson," Camicazi grinned evilly. "You're a fool."

Astrid snarled. "You are a coward, Camicazi."

Camicazi laughed. "I don't fight with honor," she chuckled. "I fight to win. It doesn't matter if I kill you or ten of my girls do. The point is you're killed, and that's all that matters to me."

The Bog Burglars were almost upon them, and Astrid raised her axe.

"You can't stop me, Camicazi," she replied. "I'm Astrid Hofferson, and I WIN!"

With a roar, she met the charge of the Bog Burglars.

Steel met steel, and Astrid felt a thundering crash as a war hammer thudded into her side. Yelling, Astrid spun her axe around in a wild, desperate form of self-defense. She felt the axe carve a line across one Boggie's face and then sink into the neck of another. Spinning it around again, it smashed a kneecap, and a Boggie fell to the floor, almost crushing her.

Astrid took a step back, trying to regain her balance. Three Boggies were down, and she was still alive.

The remaining seven Bog Burglars approached slowly, circling her. With their weapons pointed and teeth bared in vicious grins, they pressed for the final attack. Astrid could not hold off seven Boggies. She was doomed.

Camicazi laughed.

"So much for your sweet revenge, Astrid my dear," she mocked, sheathing her sword. "You were a fool to come after me alone, your best bet would have been to catch me in the thick of the battle. But you can't help a stupid Viking, as my Auntie used to say. Enjoy your final minute on this world."

Camicazi opened the door to the tunnels, ready to walk out. Then she gasped and scrambled backward, reaching for her blade.

There were two figures in the door, strong and tall. Astrid recognized both of them. One was the young Meathead who had approached her the day before, and the other was her father, Sven Hofferson.

Sven looked over at Astrid, even as the Meathead boy drew his sword. Astrid was surprised at his appearance now that she saw him in the light, for he had a strange tattoo on his chin, three dark bluish-black lines that imitated a fake beard.

"Astrid." Sven nodded to his daughter.

"Dad." Astrid gripped her axe.

The Bog Burglars were hesitant. They were surrounding Astrid, but now their heiress was being threatened by two fearsome warriors. They didn't know where to go.

Astrid snapped into action. "Kill her, dad!" she shouted.

Her father and the unknown Meathead boy jumped at Camicazi. With a desperate look on her face, Camicazi repelled the attack, dodging backwards. Four of the Bog Burglars, with cries of alarm, ran to go help Camicazi. That left three for Astrid.

Astrid looked over the shoulders of the three Boggies as the other four joined the battle with Camicazi. Her father grunted as one of them swung at him, and spun his shield around to defend against both her and Camicazi. The Meathead boy stepped forward to meet the other three, and opened up the fighting by splitting one of their heads open with his sword.

Astrid attacked. Three Bog Burglars were left, and she could handle that – maybe. Screaming a wild war cry, she battled them, deflecting blades and swinging her axe in skilled arcs. Then she saw an opening, and swung her axe into one of the Boggie's lower chest. She crumpled like a rag doll, her sword spinning on the floor as she collapsed. One down.

Out of the corner of her eye Astrid saw the Meathead boy being pressed backward into a corner, and her father still desperately dueling Camicazi and the other Bog Burglar soldier. He needed her help. Suddenly the Meathead boy reversed a turn and there was a flash of steel as another of the Bog Burglars he was fighting fell dead. The Meathead boy was a good fighter.

Astrid's axe smashed into one of the Bog Burglar's elbows. Bone splintered, and the Boggie screamed in agony. Quickly Astrid spun around and buried her axe deep in the other Bog Burglar's belly. Her face turned ash white and she dropped her weapon, falling heavily to the floor. Then Astrid turned to the Biggie with the broken elbow and mercilessly swung her axe up into her face.

Astrid turned to run to her father, and then she saw it.

Her father was fighting like an expert, fending off his two attackers. With his shield he blocked Camicazi's blow, and then he ducked under the other Bog Burglar's sword, before coming up and smashing his war hammer into a Boggie, crushing her chest. Astrid cheered.

But then it happened. Sven's hammer got stuck in between the ribs of the Bog Burglar, and he couldn't pull it out. Camicazi twirled around, batted his shield aside, and rammed her sword right through Sven Hofferson's chest.

Astrid screamed.

She didn't notice anything as she ran across the room. She didn't notice the Meathead boy yell in rage and slash the last Boggie's head clean from her shoulders. She didn't notice Camicazi jumping over her father's fallen body and running towards the Meathead boy. She didn't even notice as their two blades met in a savage clash. All she noticed was her dad, who was now on the floor, his face upturned.

With a desperate prayer she dropped her axe and fell to her knees by her father, grabbing his shoulders.

"Dad!" She cried. "Dad, get up! Get up!"

Sven Hofferson opened his eyes slowly.

"Astrid," he said quietly. His eyes dropped to his chest, where blood was steadily streaming from his heart. Astrid grabbed his hand and held it over the wound.

"That – won't help," Sven murmured, his hand reaching up to grasp Astrid's arm weakly. "She got me."

"Dad, no," Astrid gasped, pressing harder on his chest. "You can't die!"

"All men die." Sven Hofferson gazed fondly at Astrid, his face taut with pain. "I tried my – my best with you, Astrid. You wanted to be a warrior, and I trained you to – to be the best you could be. Promise me, you won't do - do anything stupid."

Astrid swallowed. "Yes, dad."

There was a cry of pain to Astrid's left, and Astrid looked up. The Meathead boy was staggering away, stabbed in the leg. Camicazi then ripped her sword up, and it caught the boy on the side of his helm. He fell to the side, his short sword spinning away on the floor. He was unconscious but alive. Camicazi immediately whirled, and saw Astrid kneeling over her father.

Astrid reached for her axe, remembering that Camicazi and she had been in this exact same situation a few minutes earlier, where one opponent was kneeling over a loved one. Camicazi remembered as well, for she hesitated and lowered her sword, nodding at Astrid.

Astrid turned back to her father. He was still trying to get out the words.

"Nothing stupid, Astrid. You need to think before you act. Think."

"I will, dad, I promise," Astrid whispered.

"Don't fight with anger or revenge, or any other emotion. Fight, but do it wisely. Fight with your brain, not with emotions. You hear me?"

Tears poured from Astrid's eyes.

"You hear me?"

"Yes," Astrid sobbed.

"You're my girl," Sven Hofferson smiled, stroking her cheek. "My daughter – my Viking."

"Dad, noooooooo," Astrid cried, tears spilling onto her father's bloody chest. "Dad, don't die, don't go!"

Sven took a ragged deep breath. "I'll say hello to Hiccup for you," he smiled.

And Sven Hofferson passed away.

Astrid cried, dropping her head on her father's ruined chest. Her tangled, sweaty blonde hair lay against the red blood on her father's armor, still streaming out the wound.

Camicazi. She was going to die for this.

With a snarl Astrid reached for axe, and then she froze. There was a sword at her neck.

"Get up," Camicazi smiled from behind her. She raised her sword, lifting Astrid's chin. "On your feet, and don't reach for that axe."

Astrid, her face a tear-stained bloody mess, slowly obeyed. She left her axe lying next to her father and slowly got to her feet, keeping her hands visible.

Camicazi walked around behind her, keeping her sword nicking Astrid's neck. The sword pricked the skin and a little drop of blood fell, trickling down Astrid's throat and onto the ugly green shirt that Ruffnut wore. Automatically, Astrid looked around the room for a weapon.

"You are a fool, Astrid." Camicazi whispered, her voice sounding eerily close. "You were so bent on revenge that you lost everything. Apparently you just lost your daddy too."

Camicazi raised Astrid's head a little higher and she walked back around to face Astrid, even as the Berkian girl was standing with her fists clenched in helpless rage. There was no weapon close enough.

"And do you know what the sad thing is?" Camicazi smiled.

She leaned into Astrid.

"I didn't kill Hiccup," she whispered. "Sad. Everything my mother told you and General Fishlegs was true. We didn't touch Hiccup. Gods, I wanted to, I wanted to ride him all night long. But hey, we told the truth. He was taken by a vortex from the sky. I didn't kill him."

Camicazi stepped back. Astrid was staring.

"I just wanted you to know that before you die," Camicazi grinned, and then swung her sword.

Astrid closed her eyes, waiting for the blow, but it never fell. Instead there was a ferocious roar and Camicazi screamed. Astrid opened her eyes, and saw a giant grey wolf hanging off of Camicazi's arm. It was Killer.

Astrid looked behind Camicazi to the door, where Killer had sprung through. And there, his bloodied sword drawn, was Thuggory.

Camicazi was screeching, hitting and kicking Killer repeatedly. The wolf was growling, his teeth sunk deep in Camicazi's forearm. With a scream, Camicazi twisted loose, blood spraying from her arm. Killer rolled to the floor.

Astrid reached down and grabbed her axe, ready to pounce on Camicazi, but Thuggory the Meathead was already there. With a savage shout he reached out and grabbed Camicazi by the throat. The Bog Burglar heiress gagged and grabbed Thuggory's arm, even as he lifted her off the ground. She lay there, choking, kicking at Thuggory. Her arm was hanging limply, bleeding profusely.

"Let her go!" Astrid screamed at Thuggory, jumping forward with her axe. "She's mine!"

Thuggory turned to look at Astrid. His leather Meathead armor was singed and stained with gore, and his strong, handsome face was soaked in sweat. He looked sore, angry, and tired, but Astrid saw in his eyes a hint of pride.

"So be it," he nodded, and flung Camicazi to the ground. The Bog Burglar hit like a rag doll and crumpled, gasping for air.

Astrid, her axe in hand, approached the fallen Camicazi.

"Thanks, Thug," she muttered.

"Kill her quickly," Thuggory said firmly. "You've caused enough trouble with all this, Astrid."

Camicazi was still gasping for breath, face down, and Astrid stepped over to her, planting her foot on Camicazi's back and pressing her into the floor. The Bog Burglar seemed so frail and thin under her leather boots.

"Thuggory!" Someone called, and Thuggory turned. It was the Meathead boy, who was lying on the ground holding his stabbed leg.

"Eric!" Thuggory said in surprise. "Hold on." He hurried across the room and stooped next to his fallen countryman.

Camicazi groaned, and Astrid spun her foot around and kicked her brutally in the ribs. Camicazi cried out in pain and rolled over onto her back, clutching her side. Astrid planted her foot on Camicazi's neck, and the girl gurgled, grabbing onto Astrid's calf.

"I – didn't – kill Hiccup," she gasped, her chest heaving. "I didn't!"

"I don't care," Astrid replied mercilessly, and raised her axe.

With a desperate twist and a kick, Camicazi spun on the floor. As Astrid's axe came down, Camicazi's right foot came flying across, and it struck Astrid firmly on the back of her knee. Astrid's knee buckled, and just as it did, Camicazi twisted out from under Astrid's boot. Astrid lost her balance. Her axe sunk into the wooden floor and she stumbled forward.

Astrid heard Thuggory yell and she cursed as she scrambled to her feet. Camicazi had jumped for her sword and got hold of it. Now she turned and ran, her light leather shoes pounding as she darted up the steps to the throne, high on the dais.

Enraged, Astrid ripped her axe out of the wood and pursued her. She expected Camicazi to turn and stop at the throne, but she didn't. Instead Camicazi slid her sword in her belt and jumped onto the throne before taking a flying leap onto a giant wooden post that went to the ceiling. Then, quick as a Terrible Terror, she started to climb catlike up the post.

Astrid was startled, and stopped in her tracks. Camicazi was going up to the rafters!

Thuggory ran up beside her, his Meathead sword drawn.

"By Odin, she can climb," he said, his tone tinted with honest admiration. "You know what, I bet she has a trapdoor in that roof. She's going to get away!"

"She is NOT going to get away," Astrid snapped. "I'm going to get her."

Thuggory turned and looked at her. "You're going to climb up there?"

"Yes," Astrid said. She turned and looked at Thuggory.

As soon as her eyes met Thuggory's she suddenly seemed to melt inside. Just then she was a mess, an emotional, raging, saddened mess. But as she looked at Thuggory and his broad, well-groomed face and stared into his deep brown eyes, she started to relax. She saw in Thuggory's eyes a concerned look of care, one of deep and loving affection.

"Can you climb that?" Thuggory nodded to the post.

Astrid tore her gaze away from Thuggory's to look at the post, where Camicazi was already almost at the top, in the rafters.

"I can," Astrid told Thuggory. "But when I get to the top she'll try and bushwack me before I can get on the rafters and fight. I need you to cover me."

Thuggory nodded. "I can do that."

"Then I'm going to climb."

"Astrid, wait." Thuggory grabbed her arm. "Listen to me, Sasstrid. We've lost this battle."

Astrid bit her lip.

"I'm just gonna say it," Thuggory stated. "We've lost it. Hysteria has already landed. We won't be able to fend them all off. The battle is over. We've been whipped." He sounded bitter.

"I don't care," Astrid swallowed. "I'm going to kill her."

"I know." A corner of Thuggory's mouth went up. "Stubborn, aren't you? Well, I can't stay and help, I've got to get Eric out of here. And Astrid, the Outcasts are retreating from the defenses back to here. Watch out for them, they'll be here any second."

"All right," Astrid replied.

Camicazi laughed. Standing tall on the rafters, she pointed her sword at Astrid, who was standing below.

"Come and get me, Astrid!" She challenged. "What happened to your so-called courage? Fight me!"

Astrid gritted her teeth, and slid her axe into the straps on her back. Steeling herself, she ran over to the pole that connected to the ceiling and swung up onto it, shinnying up as fast as she could.

She missed her spiked skirt, because it gave her extra grip while doing things like this, but Ruffnut's outfit was tight and allowed her to move well without snagging anything. In ten seconds she was already about fifteen feet off the ground.

As she got to the top, Thuggory yelled and threw an axe at Camicazi. His aim was perfect, and Camicazi cursed as she ducked, almost losing her balance on the rafter. Astrid took the opportunity and swung from the post and onto the rafters, her leather boots making a dull thud on the dusty timbers that supported the Bog Burglar's Great Hall.

Astrid looked down at her footing. She was standing on a roughly hewn rafter that was maybe eight inches wide, with a thick layer of dust that would make foot traction difficult. Ten feet ahead of her was Camicazi, standing on the same rafter. The worst stability imaginable.

Thuggory now had the Meathead boy upright, and, with one final parting glance up at Astrid and Camicazi, he helped the boy into the door of the tunnel and vanished. Killer snarled and stayed, his fierce yellow eyes gleaming up at the two combatants in the rafters.

Astrid raised her axe in front of her, even as she realized that Camicazi had a huge advantage. The Bog Burglar was used to this kind of thing, climbing on roofs and supports to escape after stealing things. She had no such experience. However, Camicazi's right arm was definitely injured badly from Killer's bite, and the bruise on her neck looked painful as well.

Astrid took a step forward, balancing on the rafter. Camicazi, her confident grin still on her face, hopped onward closer.

"All right, come to mommy," Camicazi grinned. "Come here and die."

"Die?" Astrid grinned. "All I have to do is tackle you off these rafters, bitch. We'll probably both break our legs, but I've got a wolf down there that will tear YOU to shreds.You'dbetter worry about the dying part."

Camicazi darted a glance down at Killer, who snarled savagely.

Suddenly there was a tremendous roar and a crash, and the whole roof of the Great Hall shook. With a cry, Astrid fell, barely catching onto the rafters. She looked up to see a giant section of the roof torn away, flames roaring all around it. And there, wings beating, was a red Monstrous Nightmare. The dragons attacking the island had reached the Great Hall, apparently.

Astrid scrambled back on top of the rafter, still gripping her axe tightly. Looking down the wooden plank, she saw Camicazi barely hanging on by one hand, her good arm. Then, with a quick, adroit movement, she swung her legs around the rafter and flipped onto it, breathing hard. She still had her sword, somehow.

The red Monstrous Nightmare vanished from above the hole, and now there was a free passage from the rafters onto the rooftop, where the first rays of sunrise where blazing brightly through.

With a mighty jump, Astrid leaped for the shingles, realizing that if she got to the company of the dragons, the chances of killing Camicazi would increase tenfold. Her jump was good, and she made it. Scrambling to her feet, she stood on top of the Great Hall, brandishing her axe.

There were two red Monstrous nightmares. One was Hookfang and the other was a vicious monster that belonged to Snotlout's father, Spitelout Jorgenson. They were singlehandedly trying to burn down the Great Hall, which was a typical Jorgenson approach. However, they were being fiercely attacked by bolas and arrows, which made their task difficult. Hookfang was circling the Great Hall, and Spitelout and his dragon were on top of the roof, ripping at the shingles.

A Hooligan spear was embedded in the roof next to Astrid, and she dropped to one knee to tug it loose. One of their dragon riders must have flung it during the fray.

Camicazi, her blonde hair flying in the breeze, jumped onto the roof on the opposite side of the hole. There the two girls stood, facing each other across a fiery opening, conspicuous on the skyline. Snotlout, who was doing a pass over the Great Hall, saw the two girls on the rooftop.

"Camicazi!" Snotlout roared.

On the other side of the rooftop, Spitelout Jorgenson heard his son shout. On top of his dragon, he whirled. When he saw Camicazi on the rooftop, he shouted and leapt off his dragon, grabbing his axe. He started to run towards Camicazi. The girl whirled to look up, as Snotlout's giant Monstrous Nightmare was thundering towards her.

Astrid took the opportunity. Grabbing the spear that was embedded in the wood, she yanked it out, and with a giant heave, hurled the spear with all her might at Camicazi.

She just barely missed. The spear sailed right over Camicazi's shoulder and kept going – until it smashed into Spitelout Jorgenson's chest.

Astrid gasped, and Snotlout screamed.

Spitelout, a confused and shocked look on his face, spilled to the rooftop, the spear jutting awkwardly from the center of his breast. His axe clattered on the shingles and he pitched on his face, tumbling off the roof. The spear broke as he rolled down the hard wood shingles and then his body vanished over the side as he fell.

Snotlout yelled. Astrid had never heard him yell so loudly and so desperately before. Hookfang let out a furious blast of fire and then the Nightmare diverted his flight towards Camicazi and dove to the ground, where Snotlout hopped off and ran to where his dead father was lying.

Both Astrid and Camicazi were now standing in shock.

Spitelout's Monstrous Nightmare howled.

It roared louder than Astrid had ever heard a dragon roar. With a look of maddened rage in his red eyes, he opened his mouth and sent a gigantic blast of fire down the roof at the two girls.

Both Astrid and Camicazi did the same thing. They both shouted and sprang for the hole they had just come out of. They jumped through, yelling, just as the hot, ferocious ball of fire passed over the spot they had been.

Astrid barely noticed the searing blast of fire. She was trying to land on the rafters again, but her jump had been slightly off. With a shout, she dropped her axe and tried to grab hold of the beam as she passed by, but she couldn't. Her bloody hands slipped on the wood and she fell, yelling, down the floor. She crashed into a table, wood flying everywhere. Luckily the table top broke her fall. Her axe landed several feet away, clattering on the wooden planks. Lying in the mess of broken boards, she groaned, sitting up. She looked back up to the rafters.

Camicazi was standing on the beam, her sword still in her hand. She had made her jump perfectly.

"You have failed, Astrid," she leered. "The battle is over, and you're in the wrong spot. I'm done with you. Go now and die in whatever way seems most appealing to you. I'm off to kill some dragons."

Then she turned and leapt spryly back up through the hole, her blonde hair flying behind her.

Groaning, Astrid got to her feet. The Great Hall was empty – at least of all living people. Ten dead Bog Burglars and her father were lying there. Thuggory was gone, and so was the unknown Meathead boy who had fought so bravely. The only being left in the hall was the wolf Killer.

Grunting, Astrid dragged herself over to her axe and picked it up, even as Killer walked up to her side. Camicazi was right. She had failed. She had failed miserably. Not only had she now escaped, but the endeavor had cost her father. The death of Spitelout Jorgenson was another huge loss. She had killed one of her own soldiers.

But she was not going to let that affect her. Camicazi had told her to go and die – and she didn't feel like dying just yet.

Using her axe as a prop, she pushed herself to her feet. The fall had shaken her up, and she needed to catch her breath. Killer looked up at her with his fierce yellow eyes. They had an urgency in them, as if to say, 'Let's get the fuck out of this place.'

"You're right, Killer, let's go," Astrid nodded, rolling her shoulders. "But hey! What happened to the tunnel?"

Astrid was staring. The entrance to the tunnel was gone. It was completely blocked by the massive amounts of fallen rubble and shingles when the roof was broken.

"Shit," Astrid groaned. "Now there's only one way out – the front door."

With Killer at her side, Astrid strode up to the large twin doors of the great hall, axe in hand. Knowing that she was about to step out to the most visible place in the village, she shrugged, and pushed the massive doors open.

And there, right in front of her, was twenty full armed Outcast soldiers, and behind them, Alvin the Treacherous himself. They were hurriedly walking towards the Great Hall. Behind them half the village was in flames.

"Shit." Astrid said quietly. She didn't even yell it, she was beyond that. The only thing left to her was utter resilience, and she rolled her shoulders. She had nowhere to go.

The Outcasts saw her, and stopped short.

"Who the fuck are you?" One snarled, pointing his spear at Astrid. "You're not a Bog Burglar."

"What! You're damn right she's not," Alvin the Treacherous leered, a grin on his ugly face. "I know her. That, my boys, is a Berkian girl! Kill her!"

With angry shouts, twenty Outcasts men raised their weapons and ran at Astrid.

Time seemed to slow down for Astrid. The noise of the charging Outcasts became a distant blur. She suddenly felt weak, her body sore all over. Her eyes tilted upwards involuntarily, where she saw the North half of the village burning. The dragon army from Berk was massed above that area, and the rest of them were fleeing from the docks, where the Hysterian troops were pouring off their ships onto the island.

Tears filled Astrid's eyes. So this was how it would end. Her desperate attempt to exact justice on Camicazi had failed. She had cost Berk her father, Spitelout Jorgenson, and caused an injury for a Meathead warrior. And now it was all for naught. She was standing alone in front of twenty Outcasts, ready to cut her to pieces.

Not alone. Killer snarled.

Astrid faded back into reality, blinking in surprise. She looked down at the brave wolf standing by her side. His snarl had been utterly fearless, utterly ruthless, and utterly confident. Killer wasn't accepting defeat. He was going to fight all those Outcasts, and he was going to kill each and every one of them.

That snarl brought fire back into Astrid's heart.

With a yell, she raised her axe.

"Come on, Killer!" She yelled, and charged down the stairs of the Great Hall at the Outcasts.

The Outcasts were taken aback. They were not expecting to be attacked, after all, they outnumbered Astrid 20 to one. But seeing her fierce charge down the steps, her bloody axe raised, and a giant wolf at her side, they hesitated.

Astrid screamed her war cry and swung her axe at the first soldier. Killer leapt right beside her.

Thuggory fell to the mossy ground, grunting. Eric, the Meathead boy on his back, let out a cry as he pitched to the swamp as well.

Gasping, Thuggory sat up. Looking towards the village, he saw the wooden wall of the outermost house. Giant plumes of grey smoke was rising from the village, and the smell of burning wood and flesh was thick.

Eric groaned. "Where are the dragons, Thug?"

"I told them to pick us up here once the army retreats," Thuggory informed him. "I guess the dragons are still attacking right now. Better pray that they both didn't get shot down, or else we'll be prisoners by nightfall."

Eric buried his face in his hands, and Thuggory tore off a sleeve from his shirt. "Here, Eric. Bind up that stab wound. It's not deep but you don't want to bleed out."

"These damn mosquitoes are going to suck all the blood out of me before then," Eric muttered, slapping at his arms. "You had to pick a swamp, huh?"

Thuggory laughed. "This island is called the BOG, Eric. Everywhere's a swamp."

"Blast," Eric muttered.

"Hey, there they are!" Thuggory pointed above the trees. There, flying fast and low, were Furious and Sven Hofferson's Nadder.

Thuggory stood up and waved his arms. The dragons saw them and circled, landing in the swamp with a squishing sound. Thuggory grabbed Eric's arm and helped him to his feet.

"Get on Furious," he muttered at Eric. "As soon as I break the news of Sven's death to his dragon, there's no telling what he'll do."

Eric nodded, and as Furious trotted over, he grabbed hold of the saddle. Thuggory, taking a deep breath, turned to Sven's Nadder. The dragon was staring intently at Thuggory, its large yellow eyes filled with concern. Thuggory couldn't think of anything to say.

"Sven is dead." He stated stolidly.

The Nadder froze, its tail flickering.

"He got stabbed through the chest," Thuggory said quietly, demonstrating the move with his hands. "Dead."

There was a long, three second silence. Then the Nadder screeched.

It screeched so loudly Thuggory and Eric yelled and covered their ears. Then it began to run around the swamp, flinging its tail all over. Spikes flew.

"Let's get out of here!" Eric cried, as a spike barely missed his face. "The dragon's gone crazy! Let's go!"

Thuggory was inclined to agree. With one last glance at the enraged Nadder, he stumbled over to Furious. The dragon didn't wait for him to climb up to the saddle, he simply grabbed Thuggory in his claws and lifted him up, his wings pushing off and lifting them into the sky. Then he tossed Thuggory back onto him, where Thuggory finally felt safe.

"There!" Eric shouted, pointing. "Our army! We still have organization after all!"

Thuggory couldn't help but yell in pride as he saw the sight. Retreating was never a good thing to see, but the flawless efficiency of this one was fantastic to watch. All the dragons were pulling back from the island, lifting themselves into the air above the edge of the village, out of range. It was a wonder to see, so many dragons fighting so many different battles, now becoming one.

"To the army!" Thuggory cheered, and Furious, bending his wings, turned to join. The village was half burning, half filled with cheering Bog Burglars and their allies. The Southern seas and the docks were littered with purple banners and ships, the signature of the Hysterians.

Thuggory's heart was pounding in his chest. Never in Viking history had there been a battle this big, with this many tribes, and this many warriors. And he had just been fighting in it.

With a couple more swoops of his large wings, Furious was out of range. He joined the rest of the army, which was circling over the western side of the village, out of range but still close enough to see. Fishlegs, in the center, suddenly raised his hand, and then all the dragons stopped circling to turn into a formation, each one hovering behind Fishlegs and his Gronkle. Thuggory took the chance to survey the troops. Stoick the Vast was still alive, and so was his dragon. Chief Elcroy was alive, as was his wife. However, his wife's dragon was nowhere to be seen. She was riding with Elcroy. Both Mogadon and Megadeath from the Meathead Tribe, his father and uncle, were alive and so were their dragons. He was relieved to see that.

"Thuggory!" A shrill female voice shouted, and then Bashhand swooped up on her dragon.

"Bashhand," Thuggory acknowledged, glancing over the Bashem Island heiress. The girls' entire outfit was stained with dried blood and her hands were scratched and ripped. Her face was also covered in soot.

"Eric!" She cried, seeing the Meathead boy with Thuggory. "Where did you go? What happened to you? Are you hurt?"

"Sorry, Bashie," the boy replied. "My – my dragon got shot down, killed. I was in the village with Thuggory and got stabbed in the leg."

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry," Bashhand said remorsefully. "And Thuggory, just where have you been?"

"I was – busy," Thuggory groaned, reaching down to pull a Nadder spike out of Furious' grey hide. "Lots of death, lots of chaos. But the battle is over."

Bashhand frowned. "Not over yet. By Thor, would you look at that!"

Thuggory turned and looked where Bashhand was pointing. His heart leapt into his throat. There was the most awe-inspiring sight he had ever seen.

There in the open area in front of the Great Hall, in the middle of a crowd of Outcast soldiers, was Astrid and Killer. They were snarling and yelling, cutting down the group of men one by one.

"Go Astrid!" Bashhand cheered. "Kill them! Kill them all!"

"By the Gods," Thuggory whispered. "Astrid! Killer!"

The Dragon Alliance Army heard Bashhand shout, and all eyes went to the place where Bashhand was pointing. Soon the whole army was watching and staring in amazement as Astrid kept mowing her way through her opponents. There was only four in front of her now. Then three. Then two.

"We've got to help her!" Eric spluttered. "She's going to die! Look, the soldiers are closing in around her!"

"NO!" Fishlegs shouted. "We can't help her. We wouldn't get there in time, and we've already retreated! We can't risk anyone else. Astrid and Killer are out of our hands!"

Astrid took one last ragged, heaving breath and faced the last ugly, mail-clad Outcast that stood between her and Alvin the Treacherous. Her axe met his with a clash, and the bigger, stronger man grabbed her axe handle and yanked her into a head butt. Astrid dodged, and the man's helmet smashed into her shoulder. Astrid winced as she took the blow. The man's breath smelled like rotten dog meat.

The Outcast soldier tried to pull back and head butt her again, but Astrid hung on to his collar and used it to brace herself into a full body knee kick to the man's groin. There was a whoosh of air as the soldier yelled, and he released her axe. Twisting loose, Astrid spun around and whipped her axe up across the man's chest, carving a deep bloody gash from his hip to his collarbone. He fell heavily to the ground, his body collapsing across another fallen Outcast man.

Out of the corner of her eye Astrid saw Killer tear the throat out of the last wounded Outcast on the ground. With a vicious snarl, he looked up. Astrid took a step forward and adjusted her grip on her axe. There, in front of her, was Alvin the Treacherous.

"You fight pretty well for a little girl," he snarled, grabbing his massive sword. "But you can't beat me."

Astrid was panting, gasping for air. "I can," she breathed. "And I will."

Alvin laughed. "I think not."

As if to corroborate him, there were shouts and a pounding of footsteps. Astrid turned and saw a legion of Murderous soldiers arrive, all clad in strong armor. They stopped at the edge of the street, drawing their swords. Killer, standing beside Astrid, snarled at them. His tongue was lolling out of his mouth, and he looked every bit as tired as Astrid was.

There were more footfalls, and Astrid wearily turned to her opposite side. There ran up a score of additional Outcast men, hairy and smelly. They circled around behind their commander, weapons drawn. Savage, the Outcast second-in-command, was there as well.

Then, to top it all off, there was a yell from the Great Hall, and the doors burst open. A sea of Bog Burglars poured out, running down the steps at Astrid and Killer. Astrid turned around and looked at them, utter hopelessness engulfing her. There was at least sixty total to fight. She looked up. There, in the sunrise, was Camicazi, standing on top of the Great Hall. She was looking down at Astrid with her hands on her hips. It was too high for Astrid to see, but she knew Camicazi was grinning her smug little smirk.

Behind her, Alvin laughed. "Are you ready to die, Astrid Hofferson?"

Astrid took a deep breath and turned around.

"Everyone dies," she said calmly. "The only question is when and how. At least I'll get to die knowing that I was killed at the hands of a cowardly commander who needed a hundred soldiers to kill a girl for him."

Alvin bristled, and some of his soldiers snickered behind him. Even Savage giggled.

"Don't start this yakshit with me," Alvin growled. "You're going to challenge me to one-on-one combat, I know. It's your only hope. But I'm not going to do it."

"Of course you're not," Astrid smiled. "Not only are you a coward, but you know you can't beat me either. You're afraid you'll lose."

"I AM NOT!" Alvin roared. "I would fight you, but why should I!? I've won!"

"Excuse me?" Astrid laughed. "You? Your twenty men did all the work, and I killed them all. Look at your sword! It's still clean! What have you been doing all battle long, huh? Trying to dry the piss off the front of your pants?"

Now even the Murderous soldiers laughed. Alvin turned purple with rage.

"Maybe I won't kill you," he hissed, taking a few steps forward. "At least, not right away. Maybe I'll take you as a prisoner instead. Maybe I'll keep you as a slave in my tent, chained down and keeping me – company – at night."

Astrid snorted with disgust. "Trust me, I know you don't get action often," she snapped. "But I'd die before I'd do that."

"Then I'm afraid you'll just have to die," Alvin leered.

Astrid was about to reply, but there was a sudden hush in the circle. Astrid looked behind Alvin, and there, marching up the road, was a horde of Hysterian soldiers. At their head was Norbert the Nutjob, chief of the Hysterian tribe.

Astrid almost forgot her perilous situation, so great was her curiosity. After hearing so much about the legendary Hysterian tribe, she was dying to know what their chieftain looked like. The first thing to notice was his size.

Norbert the Nutjob was easily the tallest and biggest man she had ever seen in her entire life. He surpassed Stoick the Vast by at least a foot, and while his stomach was a little thinner, his chest was broader. He didn't wear much armor, only shiny steel greaves, bucklers, and a leather breastplate. He was helmetless, and across his forehead was a purple bandanna, the colors of Hysteria. Another shocking fact about him was his face and facial hair. He was not pale like most of the Northern Viking tribes. He was tan, almost as brown as dirt, and he had no beard. Instead he had a small white goatee and white sideburns. It was a strange look, but he pulled it off. He looked terrifyingly fierce. Strapped across his back was the massive axe which was counted among the most famous Viking weapons of all time; the Axe of Fate.

He strode up to the circle, and Astrid could swear she felt the ground shake because of his footfalls. He stopped at the edge and looked around.

"What is this?" he demanded, and his voice was one that absolutely commanded respect. His accent was a thick drawl that Astrid could barely understand.

Alvin the Treacherous seemed cowed. He answered meekly, or at least as meekly as he could.

"This is a Berkian soldier and her" – he glanced at Killer – "pet wolf."

"This girl is from Berk?" Norbert looked around. "The last standing enemy, eh?"

"She won't be standing for long," Alvin snarled. "I was about to kill her."

"She appears to have been standing for some time," Norbert commented, looking around at the pile of dead Outcast men. He glanced at Astrid, looking her over carefully. "You are a warrior."

"That I am," Astrid snarled. "And I will not be a prisoner. I will fight to the death."

"I'm sure you will," Norbert grinned. "Then I'm afraid you're going to die."

"Not if this cowardly Outcast chief accepts my challenge!" Astrid asserted, turning back to Alvin. "You and I, single combat, right here, right now! I win, and I get set free. You win, and I die. Fight me!"

Alvin glared. "I want to!"

"Then do it." Norbert the Nutjob folded his brawny arms.

"I shouldn't, though," Alvin blustered. "We've won, why give her and her wolf a chance, huh?"

Norbert the Nutjob smiled. "Unless you like a good challenge, which I most certainly do. I would love to see a duel between the two of you."

Alvin stared. Norbert pulled his axe from his back. "What is your name, girl?" He asked Astrid.

"I'm Astrid Hofferson, Rider of Berk," Astrid said proudly.

"Well, Astrid Hofferson," Norbert stated, "I am about to give you a chance." He lifted his giant axe into the air. "Do you see this axe? This is the Axe of Fate."

"I know what it is," Astrid snapped. "I've seen a lot of fat chiefs blustering about their fancy axes all my life. Yours just happens to be a bit more famous than most."

Norbert laughed. "You know that when a weapon is known it means it has killed a lot of people," he replied. "But mine is special." He flipped the double-bladed axe around in his hand. "See the two sides? One is white and one is black. Fate is unpredictable, and so is the axe."

He raised the axe high. "Here is your chance, Astrid Hofferson. I shall toss this axe into the sky. As it comes down, you are to call out which side the axe will land on – black or white. If you are correct, then Alvin shall fight you on your terms. But if you guess incorrectly…." Norbert gave her a fierce smile. "Then I will use this axe to chop you in half."

Astrid swallowed. There was no doubt in her mind that Norbert the Nutjob could cut her in half any time he wanted. In fact, he could probably break her in half with his bare hands any time he wanted. But his offer was the best she was going to get. She had no idea that her life might ever be decided by a 50/50 chance. She nodded.

"I accept the offer, Chief Norbert," she said solemnly.

"Of course." Norbert the Nutjob smirked. He nodded at Astrid. "When the axe reaches the highest point, you have to call it. Black or white."

Then, bending over, Norbert flung the massive axe high into the sky.

Astrid stared at the whirling weapon, spinning upwards. Norbert was incredibly strong, because the axe was flying about three times as high as she could ever throw hers. There was no way she could even see the two sides of the axe, let alone guess which one might land in the dirt. The axe reached the highest point.

Astrid took a deep breath.

"Black!" She yelled.

The crowd shuffled, and the axe began to fall downward. Astrid closed her eyes, and prayed a brief prayer before looking up. The axe was falling. As it got closer Astrid could see it. It was spinning. And there, five feet above the ground, Astrid realized that the white side was going to hit, and she was going to die.

It spun one last time, and the white side struck the ground.

As soon as it did, dirt from the road sprayed, and for a brief second the axe blade was concealed by the dust. Then there was a dull purple flash. The dust glistened bright purple for a second and then it faded. Regular dirt landed on the ground next to the side of the axe that was buried in the dirt.

It was the black side.

The crowd of soldiers watching gasped. Astrid was staring in utter shock. She had seen the white side land! She had seen it! But something purple flashed and now it was the black side was in the dirt. It had to be a trick. She looked at Norbert the Nutjob. It was his axe, after all.

However, Norbert seemed just as shook as she was.

"That was very strange," he muttered. He took a step forward and looked at the axe carefully, as if he couldn't believe his eyes. Then he looked up.

"Black side wins. Astrid, you shall fight Alvin."

There was a muffled whispering from the crowd surrounding Astrid, and Norbert the Nutjob picked up his axe. He examined it carefully, still confused as to what just occurred. "Very strange," he murmured.

Alvin turned to face Astrid, a fierce snarl on his face. His sword was still drawn. "Are you ready to die, bitch?" He leered, stepping towards her.

Killer the wolf had been silent for a long time. He hadn't been threatened. However, when Alvin approached him, he growled. Alvin hesitated and looked around nervously at Norbert the Nutjob.

"The wolf. I don't have to fight him, too."

"The deal didn't apply to the wolf," Norbert agreed, looking up from his axe. He turned to the bowmen by his side. "Kill the beast."

Astrid whirled. "Killer, go! Run!" She shouted.

Killer understood. He pivoted and started to run. A Hysterian soldier, seeing him start, fired a crossbow at him. It whizzed by Astrid, and Astrid used her axe to smash it to the ground in midair. In three bounds Killer reached the edge of the ring, and, with a flying leap, crashed on the shoulders of two Outcast soldiers, who flailed at him with their weapons, trying to kill him.

They all missed, however, and Killer reached solid ground. His legs churning the dirt, he sprinted down the street. A few more arrows were fired at him, but none found the streaking grey beast. He came to the edge of the forest and then was gone.

"Yes!" Astrid exulted, a smile coming to her face. With a grin, she turned back to face Alvin.

And saw a massive sword coming at her face.

Astrid yelled and sprang backwards, barely evading the ugly weapon as it whizzed right in front of her nose. Alvin swung again, and Astrid bent over his cut, the tip of the blade coming a mere inches away from her belly. Then she found her footing and swung her axe around to give herself space. Alvin had to step back.

Astrid now readied herself. She had crossed blades with Alvin before, and knew much of his skill and style. However, there wasn't much skill. All Alvin had was brute force and knowledge of a few basic moves. Her skills were speed and quickness, the perfect combination to beat him.

With a yell, Astrid swooped in. She feinted a swing to the left, and as Alvin raised his shield to block it, she spun around, reversed her cut, and aimed a powerful blow to the Outcast Chief's side. With a grunt, Alvin raised his sword, blocking it clumsily. The sound rang over the silent circle. Everyone was watching with baited breath.

Astrid danced away as Alvin tried to get closer. She grinned. "Come on, you big, slow, cockless coward," she teased. "Can't even beat a girl."

Alvin glowered. He raised his axe and swung. Nimbly, Astrid ducked under the blade, lunged closer, and kicked Alvin solidly on the inside of his left knee. He grunted in pain, and Astrid slid under his shield, drawing her axe along the back of his arm, slicing the leather straps that held the shield in place. The crowds gasped as Alvin cried out and stumbled, blood dripping from his arm and his useless shield clattering to the rocky ground.

There was a roar in the sky, and Astrid took it to be the cheers of the Dragon Alliance, which was watching from above. Alvin turned around slowly on the opposite side of the circle, raising his wounded arm. Astrid was facing him from the other side, her axe in one hand and a ferocious gleam in her eye.

With a yell, Alvin charged, his sword raised high. Astrid was about to turn and dodge to one side, but an Outcast soldier who was in the circle behind her raised his foot and kicked her in the back of the calf as she turned. Her knee buckled, and she dropped to one knee even as Alvin was upon her. His knee struck her chin, and she flew backwards into the dirt.

The circle cheered, finally breaking their nervous silence. With a yell of triumph, Alvin slammed his foot down on Astrid's chest, crushing her into the hard ground. Numbly, Astrid felt blood trickling down her neck as she reached out, fumbling for her axe. She found it, and her fingers touched the wooden handle. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the toe of a Bog Burglar reach out and kick the weapon away.

Astrid had no words. She wanted to scream foul. But this was not the time. Alvin was raising his sword to strike the final blow. Someone else in the circle behind her kicked her in the head. Dirt flew up into her face.

Alvin was roaring his victory, his sword raised high. Astrid screamed as she felt his foot press down harder, and heard two sickening pops as ribs snapped. But then her groping fingers found something in the dirt. It was the short crossbow bolt she had batted out of the air a few seconds ago.

With one last effort, she grabbed the bolt. Flicking it up, she twisted it and slammed into the back of Alvin's thigh. With a roar of pain, Alvin crumpled. His foot slid off Astrid's chest, and his final blow was stopped.

Astrid rolled over, and sprang to her feet, ignoring the screaming pain of her broken ribs. There, right in front of her face, was the Outcast soldier who had kicked her twice. She reached out, grabbed his sword from his belt, and yanked it free. Alvin was still reeling. With a yell and a twist, Astrid spun around and slammed the sword through Alvin's belly.

There was a gasp from the circle, and the dragon army in the sky roared.

Alvin turned ghostly pale. Dropping his sword, he stared down at his abdomen. Taking both hands, he tried to pull the sword free, but failed, and crumpled to his knees. The long, chipped blade was sticking about a foot out of his back. The silence in the circle was appalling.

Astrid staggered over to her axe, holding her broken chest. Reaching down with a wince, she picked up her weapon. Then she approached Alvin. The Outcast leader was gasping his final breaths, blood and black gore dripping from his lips. His hands were clutched so tightly around the sword in his stomach that his knuckles were white. He looked up at Astrid.

"Do you have any last words?" Astrid asked slowly, her ribs hurting so badly it was a pain to even speak.

Alvin tried to speak. In vain he struggled to get the words out of his blood-filled mouth. Through the mess, he managed four words.

"Proud – to – be – Outcast."

Astrid nodded. Alvin, a look of agony crossing his face, bent his head downward.

Adjusting her grip on her axe, Astrid raised the weapon high. With a yell, she brought her blade down on the back of Alvin's neck. Her swing was true, and she felt the steel strike through flesh and bone cleanly. Alvin's head, helmet still on it, rolled on the ground. Blood sprung from his severed neck as his body crumpled to the earth.

Astrid dropped to one knee, breathing deeply. Leaning on her axe, she turned and looked up at Norbert the Nutjob. Norbert nodded in approval.

"The fight is over," he said. "Astrid has won."

"Won!" An Outcast soldier yelled. "She cheated! She stole a sword to kill our chief!"

Norbert laughed. "And she was kicked TWICE by you lot," he retorted. "And her axe was kicked out of her reach. Don't start talking to me about cheating. Fate has decided."

Astrid spoke. "You all are the dirtiest bunch of cheaters and foul-players in existence," she spat bitterly. "It was an unfair fight, and I won. You lost. Now let me go."

Norbert nodded. "You shall be set free."

Astrid closed her eyes.

"Raise a white flag," Norbert the Nutjob commanded. "Let one of her Berkian soldiers come and retrieve her."

He stepped to Astrid and knelt beside her. He whispered in her ear.

"If the day ever comes that you would rather fight for the winning side in a war, you come to me."

Astrid looked at the enormous man, her eyes strong and true. "I will never fight for you," she said. "I fight for the Dragon Alliance, and I have a dragon. You want to kill dragons. You will never understand the reality about them."

Norbert smiled. "I have been all over the world," he told Astrid. "And know much more than you might expect. Who says I don't know about dragons? I know they are intelligent, have feelings, and can be more human than a lot of humans. Is that why you are fighting? Over that fact? Because it matters not to me. The only thing that matters is my alliances. I currently have an alliance with the Bog Burglars. Therefore I have and will aid them as long this war may last, and that means you are my enemy. But there will be other wars to come after this. Other wars that involve dragons. The greatest war the world has ever seen is being planned even now. When that happens, and if you are still alive, ask for me. I will give you a place in my army."

"What wars?" Astrid demanded. "I don't care about wars ten years in the future! No! I'm here to win this one."

Norbert shook his head sadly. "Oh, you know nothing, you little lioness," he said soothingly. "But I am sure you do know this – that Berk doesn't have the only dragon riders. You know that there are other riders, better riders than you in the world. For instance – a rider with a giant Skrill who possesses more power than you could possibly imagine. Would I be correct?"

Astrid stared. "My God," she whispered. "What – how – how do you know about that?"

Norbert only smiled and stood up. "Another time, my dear," he replied. "But know this. This war is only a small trifle in the years to come. In the end, there will be a last war, one that covers all the earth in shadow. And when that occurs, you would be best to choose the right side." He paused. "MY side."

Astrid could only stare.

"We will meet again," Norbert said, and then turned his back. Walking away, the Axe of Fate clanged against his back.

Slowly, Astrid stared over the ground in front of her. The bodies of Outcast soldiers, bitten and sliced, were around her. The circle of Boggies, Outcast, and Murderous fighters was muttering among themselves. A white banner was flapping in the breeze above her, and in the distance she could see a dragon sailing down. It was coming to get her.

Blinking, Astrid turned her gaze up to the great hall. There was Camicazi, sitting on the edge, looking at her. Her arms were folded. Her and Astrid locked eyes.

"Dragon rider!" Norbert the Nutjob called. "I give you your lioness, Astrid Hofferson!"

Astrid turned her bleary eyes to the sky. There she saw her mother and her Nadder dropping into the circle to get her. She tried to rise, but couldn't. Her eyes faded, and she passed out on the hard ground.


	27. The Defence of Berk

chapter 27: Defend Berk

**This is the first chapter written by me so feel free to let me know what you think.**

**High Asgard, Day 22 since Hiccups Departure**

"YEH BUD LETS GO"

"THIS IS AMAZING"

"ok take us in to land" as Hiccup and Toothless go into a steep dive towards Kaldr and Brenakir.

"so how did i do?" hiccup asked

"that was better than before, we might just live through this!" Kaldr laughed "but in all honesty you have come along way in the last week that i have been training you."

"thanks ill take that as a compliment" hiccup says as they walk towards the great hall. People had slowly stopped fearing him after his outburst and where ever he walk through Asgard he was greeted by villages.

The doorman opened the door for Hiccup and he swung into a large room. Stopping, he took in the room. At the head of the hall was a long, unbelievably huge dining table, which was now in the after-meal process. People were sitting around it, drinking and laughing, and the God Odin himself sat at the head, with his wife Frigga beside him. As Hiccup entered the entire hall stopped and turned to look at Hiccup. Hiccup was not surprised they had done this for the last week and it never grew old so as always he took the attention with a grin.

"Hiccup!" Thor rose from a great couch in the center of the room, where he was surrounded by ladies and food and drink. "Welcome! Come in and enjoy the food, Hiccup had seem to have gained a permanent place next Thor!" Hiccup made his way through the crowed and walking up to Thor as he walked down the sea of people, who stood pointing at him and whispering. Hiccup's grin only got wider as he went on. Girls were hiding behind their fans and making eyes at him. Men were staring in wonder and respect.

"Take a seat," Thor laughed, dropping down to his spot between two beautiful, scantily-clad women. "There's good company here." And Hiccup sat down as he always did and began eating.

Hiccup blinked for a second as the young, attractive woman slid her arms around him, one in front and one behind, laying her head on his shoulder, I will never get used to this Hiccup thought. Another smiling serving girl handed him a goblet of wine, even as another woman sat down on his opposite side. Her dress was revealing and very engaging.

"How are you, Riddari Hiccup?" the first woman smiled at him, reaching her hand up to his head and touching his smoothed brown hair. "You look dashing."

"Dashing and handsome," the second laughed, sliding a hand over Hiccup's chest. "I like your hair, too."

"Thank you lady's as always but as always not tonight" Hiccup said slowly.

The women looked disappointed but accepted his answer and slowly slid away.

"You really need to learn to live Hiccup." Thor laughed slowly.

**Berk Island, Day 22 since Hiccup's Departure.**

"sir, Bog Burglar ships are approaching from the north." the lookout shouted.

Stoick the vast stood at the center of the village, it had been a week since the tragic defeat Astrid had recovered by they had lost a large amount of troops and the morral was low.

"Stoick" gober said looking up at stoick " you need to get em going"

Stoick sighed fine " Everyone gather round,This is Berk's darkest hour" Stoick said as he addressed the hole of Berk and there allies " if We have been forced to make our final stand on the shores of Berk then so be it but We shall go on to the end, we shall fight on the seas and oceans,

we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength on dragon back, we shall defend the Island of Berk, our island,whatever the cost may be,

we shall fight on the beaches,

we shall fight on the landing grounds,

we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,

we shall fight in the hills;

we shall never surrender, we will carry on the struggle, until, in odins good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old, so now I say to the hole of Berk pray with me pray to Odin that this day will not be our last!"

Everone cheered as they prepared to fight And together they prayed to odin.

**Back on Asgard**

The hall feel silent as Odin rose from his chair at the head of the table " i have a verry important announcment to make" the hall stood silently waiting "Gods of the high council and Hiccup come with me."

The gods had already entered and Hiccup was a little nervous but walked up to the white carven doors, and pushed them open.

This was not the first time Hiccup had been in this room however he couldnt help but look around the room. Directly ahead of him, all seated behind a giant raised table made of pure gold and rubies, were seven of the most powerful beings he had ever laid eyes on.

This council was what determined the course of everything. The Gods monitored, owned, and controlled all the worlds, including Midgard. Hiccup was walking in to meet with the ones who played with his homeland like a toy.

Hiccup recognized them all from his last inconter In the center of the long table sat Odin, whom he had seen before, and sitting on his left side, slightly behind, was Thor. Hiccup assumed he wasn't actually a Council member – he was just there to observe. On Odin's right was a large, attractive woman called Frigga. Just seeing the legendary husband and wife made him want to tremble, but he resisted the other gods, Kvasir, God of Wisdom, Forseti, God of Justice, Vor, the Goddess of reason, and Tyr, the God of war.

"Hiccup i have some knowledge from Berk, A large army was seen by Heimdall as they march towards youe birthplace, your father, your people are in grave danger, They took heavy casualtys and now make there final stand at berk. However i am willing to allow you and thor to go there for 1 week and help them. however when you return you will give me the sword and the bomb.

Hiccup was stunned for a moment all his freind and family will die and he had the power to change that. " i accept"

"Go to your chamber there will be a full suit of armour and meet thor at the bifrost."

Hiccup half ran to his chamber, his armor

was scaled and glittered bronze and gold, gilded horned helms it was worthy of a God.


End file.
